Guardians' Zach Plesac on IL after punching mound in frustration
Cleveland Guardians right-handed starting pitcher Zach Plesac is once again out of action for a unique reason.
Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN) and Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, Guardians manager Terry Francona confirmed ahead of Friday's home series opener against the Seattle Mariners that Plesac has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a broken pitching hand. It's believed Plesac fractured his fifth metacarpal when he punched the mound in frustration after he surrendered a home run in his most recent start last Saturday against none other than the Mariners:
Hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham will soon examine Plesac. Francona said the "best-case" scenario regarding the 27-year-old is that he misses only a single week, but it was too early to know, for sure, as of Friday. Thus far this season, Plesac has gone 3-11 with a 4.39 ERA across 23 starts.
Plesac missed time in 2020 after he was punished for breaking COVID-19 protocols and was then sidelined in the spring of 2021 with a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb he suffered while "aggressively ripping off his shirt."
Francona also announced Friday that Aaron Civale is going on the 15-day IL due to right forearm inflammation. Civale is 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA in 16 starts.
The first-place Guardians held a one-game lead over the second-place Minnesota Twins in the American League Central standings as of Friday afternoon.
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