The Reds transferring injured pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the 60-day disabled list on Monday was hardly a surprise. Arroyo, who was shut down after his June 18 start vs. the Dodgers because of shoulder soreness, wasn't holding out much hope to pitch again this season -- or ever again.
In a dugout interview during the Reds' 8-2 loss to the Cardinals, Arroyo told Fox Sports Ohio's Jim Day that he's already likely thrown his final pitch in the Major Leagues.
"Yeah, I think so," Arroyo said. "It's probably the last time I'm going to throw. There could always be that chance you get one inning in September just to tip the cap to the fans, but probably not. My arm, now that a lot of the anti-inflammatories and different things are kind of bleeding out of my system, I'm realizing how banged up my shoulder is, and the elbow is starting to bother me as well.
"I'm enjoying the ride with these guys for the next three months. But the last time you saw me pitch was against the Dodgers, I think."
Arroyo, 40, attempted to make a comeback after he missed 2 1/2 years to have elbow and shoulder surgeries in 2014 while with the D-backs. He had spent 2006-13 with the Reds and signed a Minor League deal in February with Cincinnati. He earned a spot on the team and is being paid the Major League minimum salary this season.
For the final three months of the 2017 season, Arroyo planned to remain with the club, keep lifting weights and be a positive influence, while joking he would be "working on his beach body."
Despite the comeback falling short statistically, Arroyo still found it successful and has no regrets for trying.
"After getting back here, it worked out pretty good," Arroyo said. "I was plugging a hole for [Brandon] Finnegan and [Homer] Bailey and those guys. If I was totally healthy, I would still be in this rotation right now. I came and did what I set out to do, which was helping out the young guys, be in Spring Training, help the camaraderie in the clubhouse, pitch as long as I could and get out and compete at the big league level again, and kind of walk away in the uniform I've been the most comfortable in and being around the people I'm most comfortable being around."
Arroyo, who lasted a season-low three innings with five earned runs allowed on seven hits against Los Angeles in his final start, spoke more after the game with MLB.com and explained his rationale for not trying to extend his career.
"I don't want to be Brett Favre and continue to come back three or four times," Arroyo said. "I was going to give one good shot at it. It's taken me three years to get back to this point, so I've already kind of dealt with all those emotions. So for me everything is just joyous. Just thinking about all the things I've missed in the game -- the day I graduated high school I've been in this game --thinking about time with friends and family and traveling and not being on somebody's watch and stuff is fantastic.
"But now that I've gotten back to the big leagues and had an opportunity to be in a place I enjoy so much, being around a group of guys that I really love being with, since I was here for such a long time before this, it's been nothing but positive, really. And so the emotions are really like a kid getting out of school. I'm winding down the last three months of going to school, and I'm about to get out for the summer."