Zack Greinke goes on DL, won't pitch again until after All-Star break

Ray Slover

Zack Greinke goes on DL, won't pitch again until after All-Star break image

Zack Greinke won't pitch again until after the All-Star break. The Diamondbacks placed their ace right-hander on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday.

Turns out, Greinke's injured left oblique muscle injury is worse than thought. That was confirmed in an MRI exam on Saturday, team officials said. The move was made retroactive to June 30.

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Greinke is 10-3, winner of seven consecutive decisions and a bright addition to the Diamondbacks in what has been a dismal season.

The All-Star Game is July 12. Greinke's next scheduled start would have been July 10. He injured his side on June 28, likely during a second-inning at-bat. It became the final start of a month in which Greinke had a 1.63 ERA.

Oblique muscles are in the abdominal area and let you bend sideways and twist your trunk. According to newhealthadvisor.com, oblique muscles connect with the ribs and the hip bone.  http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Oblique-Muscle-Strain.html

Putting Greinke on the DL "was the best thing to do," D-backs manager Chip Hale told media members. Hale and the team had hoped Greinke would miss one start, likely July 5. Now, no one will speculation when Greinke will return.

"It's getting better," Greinke told The Arizona Republic, "but I'm not ready for game action and more than likely wouldn't be in the 10 or 11 days before the All-Star break. So we just did it now and hopefully we'll be back a little bit after that." http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2016/07/03/diamondbacks-place-zack-greinke-15-day-dl/86656656/

Greinke, 32, signed a six-year, $206.5 million free-agent contract in December.

The team reinstated outfielder Rickie Weeks Jr. from the bereavement list in a corresponding roster move.

The Diamondbacks entered Sunday 37-46, a game ahead of the last-place Padres in the NL West.

Ray Slover