CLEVELAND -- The Athletics' injury carousel continues, as left-hander Brett Anderson returned from the 10-day disabled list from a left shoulder strain Sunday only for right-hander Paul Blackburn to take his place.
Blackburn is officially out with right elbow lateral epicondylitis, more colloquially known as tennis elbow.
The Athletics have five starters on the disabled list -- Blackburn joins Trevor Cahill, Daniel Gossett, Daniel Mengden and Andrew Triggs -- although Cahill could rejoin the team as early as Thursday.
"It's been a problem all year," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "It looks like we're starting to get some guys back now, which will help. That's why you try to create the depth that you do, and our front office did a good job of that, especially signing Anderson and Cahill during Spring Training. Basically it's a 'next man up' type of thing."
Although Blackburn has a 7.16 ERA over six starts this season, his peripheral numbers have been fairly strong, with 19 strikeouts, six walks and two home runs allowed over 27 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old flew back to Oakland on Saturday and is expected to undergo an MRI.
"Hopefully it's not something that keeps him out so long," Melvin said. "It popped up after the game, it didn't feel great the next day, and we're going to have him checked out by our doctors. Hopefully it's nothing significant that we feel like at this point. So hopefully it's just a stint on the DL, and hopefully he recovers quickly, and we can get him back in the rotation at some point soon."
Anderson got the ball for Sunday's game against the Indians, his fifth start of the year and first since May 18.