DENVER -- Feeling less effective over the past couple of weeks because of inflammation in his right shoulder, Rockies relief pitcher Adam Ottavino was placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday.
Ottavino, the primary right-handed setup man, has struggled with control all season. He has managed a 2.57 ERA in 23 appearances, but with 15 walks in 21 innings and a 1.43 WHIP (higher than any full season in his career), he decided to take some time to heal. One hit and two walks (one intentional) to four batters during Monday's 6-5 loss to the Mariners led to the decision.
"I'm not doing anybody any good pitching the way I pitched yesterday," said Ottavino, who said he doesn't think it will be an extended absence. "I feel like this is as good a time as any to make sure I get it right."
The Rockies recalled righty reliever Carlos Estevez from Triple-A Albuquerque. Estevez, who began the year with the Rockies, appeared in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 10-4 loss to the Mariners and gave up three runs on five hits -- some so soft he said afterward, "it's like the ball had eyes."
He is 3-0 with a 8.78 in 15 Major League games. ERA. He was sent down May 3, but he came back up and threw a scoreless inning at Minnesota on May 18, allowing two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
Estevez said he continued to fine-tune his delivery without the leg kick that he pitched with last year, a significant mechanical adjustment the Rockies requested over the winter. Estevez said he capitalized the Minor League stint by working closely with co-Minor League pitching coordinator Darryl Scott.
"Since I wasn't doing the leg kick, I was quick to home plate, so they wanted me a little bit slower, just because of the command," Estevez said. "Just getting more time for my hand to get out of my glove and just timing-wise with my delivery; not to rush it going home. Just getting load on the back leg and just taking my time to get my hand out."
Ottavino has struggled with control since Spring Training, but he does not blame any shoulder issues. He said he fell into bad technique habits and has been addressing those. But the last two weeks, he hasn't recovered from outings as well as before.
"It's something I probably could have stayed pitching through, but it's smarter to get it quieted down," he said. "I want to get it taken care of while there's still a lot of season left."
Worth noting
• Righty pitcher Jon Gray, out since May 13 with a stress fracture in his left foot, threw his first bullpen session without his protective boot on Sunday and expects to throw another one soon. Gray said his motion feels natural, but he needs to build leg strength. He has done brief jogging on a treadmill and will work his way to fielding and throwing to bases. He could return by mid-June, but the Rockies haven't targeted a date.
Gray will throw bullpen sessions Wednesday in Seattle and Saturday in San Diego.