MINNEAPOLIS -- Guardians reliever Tim Herrin was forced to exit Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Twins at Target Field in the sixth inning after he absorbed a line drive from Royce Lewis directly off his left elbow.
Herrin threw Lewis a 2-0 sinker that the first baseman lined right back at him. Herrin attempted to turn out of the way before the ball struck him. It rolled all the way to first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who tagged Lewis out.
The Guardians later announced that Herrin suffered a left elbow contusion. X-rays were negative.
"It was kind of the best-case scenario," Herrin said. "X-rays were negative. It’s just a bruise. It squared it up, though. So it's a little sore right now."
Herrin dropped his glove and appeared in obvious pain after the play unfolded. He slammed his right fist onto the grass behind the pitcher’s mound in frustration, and manager Stephen Vogt and trainer Chad Wolfe came out to check on him. Herrin promptly walked off the field with Wolfe, as Shawn Armstrong entered in relief.
"Obviously, it's one of those things as a pitcher you never want to have happen, but it's part of the game," Herrin said. "Other than the head and face area, it's one of the worst spots to get hit as a pitcher, in the throwing arm."
Armstrong got Victor Caratini to fly out to end the sixth, but he walked two batters while recording just one out to open the seventh. Erik Sabrowski entered in his place, and he threw 11 consecutive balls and issued three walks. Two came with the bases loaded as the Twins tied the game at 5.
Herrin has a 3.06 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and 19 walks in 32 1/3 innings over 41 appearances this season. He is one of just two lefties in the Guardians’ bullpen, along with Sabrowski, and Cleveland is a bit thin organizationally in that department.
Beyond Herrin and Sabrowski, Will Dion is the only lefty reliever on the Guardians’ 40-man roster -- which also includes starter Logan Allen. Both of them are with Triple-A Columbus and stand as options if Cleveland needs to call up a pitcher in a pinch. Herrin's postgame report is perhaps hope he will not require a stint on the IL.
Dion had a cup of coffee in the Majors this season (5.56 ERA in 11 1/3 innings over six appearances), while Allen tossed four innings in his lone big league appearance this season on May 25.
Right-hander Daniel Espino is another reliever waiting in the wings with Columbus. The Guardians optioned him on Friday after he made five appearances in his first career big league stint, which included his MLB debut on June 17.