SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandon McCarthy is back where he was a year ago — on the disabled list with a troublesome right shoulder.
This time, he hopes to return sooner.
The Oakland Athletics placed the right-hander on the 15-day disabled list with a sore shoulder Sunday, the latest injury setback to the franchise's opening day starter. McCarthy moved to the DL almost this same time last season when the A's traveled across the bay to face the rival San Francisco Giants. He took nearly seven weeks to return.
"This is just a lot of soreness and fatigue. For some reason, it's what I run into this time of year almost every year," McCarthy said before the Bay Bridge Series finale. "I've got to figure out a way to get past this. The hope is we're catching it at a point where we can contain it."
Oakland's optimism has been running low lately.
The A's have eight players on the disabled list — Yoenis Cespedes, Coco Crisp, Dallas Braden, Brett Anderson, Brandon Inge, Joey Devine and Scott Sizemore — and McCarthy has been the centerpiece of the pitching rotation.
Even if he hasn't always been healthy.
Oakland skipped McCarthy in the rotation earlier this month to give his shoulder some rest. He returned to throw seven scoreless innings in a victory over Detroit and lasted 5 1-3 innings to help Oakland win in his last start at Texas.
An MRI last week showed no damage to McCarthy's right scapula. A stress reaction in his scapula last year is what sidelined the lanky right-hander almost seven weeks.
The good news for Oakland: McCarthy returned sharp — and injury free — the rest of the way.
McCarthy said he pitched through some aches and pains against the Rangers and had hoped his shoulder would rebound during his days off. He plans to start throwing again in a few days.
"A couple weeks ago it was really just precautionary. This isn't the same issue. This is just a lot of soreness and fatigue," McCarthy said.
The A's recalled right-hander Jim Miller from Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday to fill the roster spot. Miller is joining the A's for the second time this year. He has a 1.93 ERA in six relief appearances with Oakland this season.
The move is retroactive to Friday.
Graham Godfrey will likely start in McCarthy's place Tuesday. McCarthy is eligible to come off the disabled list June 2, when Oakland plays at Kansas City.
McCarthy is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in nine starts this season.
"I think there's a certain feeling that he has when the stress reaction comes on," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "At least from what he's been saying to us so far, it's not bad."
