This is not good: Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Rays pitcher Brent Honeywell cut short a bullpen session this morning and left the field with a trainer. Topkin says Honeywell was “clearly upset” as he made his way into the clubhouse and “cursed loudly a few times.”
Obviously you don’t want to assume the worst, but that’s often the behavior of a pitcher who experienced a serious injury. We will get updates later and will provide an update when we hear.
UPDATE:
UPDATE: The Rays have diagnosed the injury as a right forearm strain. Manager Kevin Cash would not speculate on the severity of the injury, adding that Honeywell would undergo further evaluation. Cash said, “It’s frustrating whether he’s going to miss a week or a month or whatever it is.”
Honeywell, probably the Rays’ top prospect, was slated to make his major league debut early this season, though possibly not for a few weeks into the season due to off days. Eventually, though, it was assumed he’d slot in someplace behind Chris Archer, Matt Andriese, Nathan Eovaldi, Jake Faria, and Blake Snell, either as a young-David Price-style swingman, a spot starter or a regular starter at some point.
Last year Honeywell posted a 3.49 ERA and 172/35 K/BB ratio in 136. innings in 26 starts between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.
