CLEVELAND — Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams has suffered a setback in his recovery from an elbow injury and will be shut down for at least another week.
Williams, who was expected to have a major role for Cleveland this season, hurt his elbow while throwing a weighted ball during spring training in March. The right-hander was initially only expected to miss a week or two.
Williams pitched three innings in a simulated game on Saturday in Arizona, and afterward told the team he had soreness in the back of his elbow. The team is calling the injury an elbow impingement.
Manager Stephen Vogt said Wednesday that Williams will receive an anti-inflammatory injection. He won’t throw for another week before being re-evaluated.
“They’re hoping that at the end of this seven days he can resume throwing and not fall too far back,” Vogt said. “Just trying to cover all the bases and be as cautious as possible.”
Williams had been building up arm strength after essentially having to start over when he got hurt in camp.
The 24-year-old Williams went 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA as a rookie last season.
He was penciled into a spot in Cleveland’s rotation, which has already taken a big blow with Shane Bieber being lost for the season following Tommy John surgery.