ST. PETERSBURG -- Guardians right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with a left calf strain.
Armstrong still isn’t certain what happened in the eighth inning of Friday night’s 11-3 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, when he was backpedaling behind home plate, trying to back up a play. He felt a sharp pain in his left leg and crumbled to the turf, then was carried back to the dugout by two staff members.
"Just one of those freak accidents … with no rhyme or reason to it," said Armstrong, who is 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 38 appearances this season. "When I planted on the left foot, I literally thought something hit me in the back of the leg. In the video, you see me looking around and I was like, ‘What was that?’
"It felt like somebody kicked me in the back of the calf. It’s a dagger for sure. This isn’t how I wanted this year to go, especially when we’re making a playoff push. Everything happens for a reason. What’s the reason for this? I really have no idea.’"
Armstrong, who had an earlier IL stint (right groin strain) this season, said he’s waiting on an ankle specialist to learn the injury’s full severity, but said he was told "it’s a pretty significant calf tear." Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said he was told "the Achilles looks OK, which is great news, but we’re still learning the findings."
"I didn’t see the moment where it happened, but I just heard, ‘Oh no,’ and I looked up and [Armstrong] was limping," Vogt said. "It just kind of happened as he stepped back, however it happened."
Armstrong, 35, was signed as a free agent on Dec. 20, 2025, after going 4-3 with the Rangers last season, establishing career highs in appearances (71), innings (74), saves (nine) and strikeouts (74).
To replace Armstrong on the roster, the Guardians recalled left-handed reliever Will Dion from Triple-A Columbus. Dion (0-0, 5.17 ERA in nine appearances) was officially sent down Friday, then flew from Columbus to Tampa on Saturday and rejoined the Major League club for the third time this season.