ST. PETERSBURG -- By putting starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo on the 10-day disabled list Monday with a strained right shoulder, the Reds bought him and themselves a little more time before any big decisions are made.
Arroyo said he felt like his shoulder was shot and career likely over following Sunday's start -- an 8-7 loss to the Dodgers during which he allowed five earned runs over three innings.
"We'll see what happens the rest of the year," Arroyo said on Monday. "I don't think outside of getting stem cells, I'm not going to get my arm to a place where I can continue to pound on it like the way I have and have it not slide downhill. Unless I wanted to do that and it's a 3-4 month turnaround, you're looking at next year pretty much already."
Arroyo's 7.35 ERA is worst among qualified starters in the Majors, and he also leads baseball with 23 homers allowed. He's been pitching through shoulder soreness that two cortisone shots could no longer mask.
The 40-year-old Arroyo, who pitched for the Reds from 2006-13, came back after a two-and-a-half-year absence because of elbow and shoulder surgeries in 2014 with the D-backs.
"Now it's just a matter of seeing where this goes," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We have to define the source of the pain and really kind of figure out what's in his best interest, what's he able to do, the need for significant surgical repair or long, extended rehab."
Arroyo likely won't opt for surgery since there is no intention on his part to try to pitch in 2018. But he did leave open the door a small crack that he could return this season in a bullpen role -- if he was healthy and needed.
"I might be here. Who knows? You never know," Arroyo said. "People could get hurt and they might be like, 'We need you to pitch.' They might say, 'You want to throw out of the bullpen?' Who knows? Me and Bryan haven't fleshed through the whole thing. I just know being a guy that's going to take the ball every fifth day and try to get through the next three-and-a-half months is not going to be a possibility."
Amazingly, Arroyo still went on the field at Tropicana Field Monday afternoon to play catch.
"I was just throwing to see how bad my arm felt today," he said. "I didn't feel terrible, but when I get back to about 120 feet and really start letting it go, it's a different ballgame."
With Arroyo out and Asher Wojciechowski designated for assignment on Sunday, the Reds have two open rotation spots for Friday and Saturday at Washington. It's possible one could go to Homer Bailey, who was scheduled for a rehab start on Monday.
"We have some ideas," Price said. "Once I get clearance to give the green light on that, we'll do so."