Injury Update: Addison Reed Two Weeks Away from Throwing on the Mound

Diamondbacks closer Addison Reed says it will be at least two weeks before throws form the mound again after experiencing soreness in his right shoulder before camp opened, according to a report by Steve Gilbert of MLB.com

Reed has been playing catch, and tests on his shoulder have shown no injury, which is good thing for the Diamondbacks.

“Feels like nothing ever happened,” Reed said to Gilbert. “If anything, my arm feels stronger because of all the work I’ve been doing in the training room.”

“I’d say by the 20th [of March] I’m for sure off the mound,” he said.

If Reed can get back on the mound by that date, he should have no problem being ready for Opening Night on April 6th against the Giants, but manager Chip Hale and the rest of the coaching staff still want to be cautious about his recovery.

“We want him ready and the worst thing we can do is say, ‘Hey you’re going to throw two or three times and now we’re going to open the season,'” Hale said. “If that’s the case, he may have to start on the DL, but we’re a long way away from that.”

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The Diamondbacks cant afford to start the 2015 season with a bunch of injuries like they did in 2014. It kills the moral in the clubhouse, and if the Dbacks are going to be successful this season, they need everybody to stay healthy, and have a good month of April.

Reed is a critical part of the Diamondbacks bullpen, and to have him miss extended time would be devastating.

The Diamondbacks have plenty of bullpen depth, but Reed is the team’s most experienced 9th inning guy, and they need him to be healthy.

Personally, I didn’t like the trade that brought him to Arizona because Reed has always been a fly ball pitcher, and pitchers like that usually don’t do well at Chase Field.

His fly ball percentage actually went up from 45.4% in 2013, to 47.6%, and so did his HR/9 rate (1.67), but he pitched less innings, and appeared in less games.

He also had fewer save opportunities during his first season in Arizona. FanGraphs Streamer projections see him having a better year.

His improvement in 2015 will be key if this team is going to get out of the cellar in the N.L. West, and the Diamondbacks would certainly rather have him on the field.