Litsch Goes On DL, MRI To Be Done Today

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch will have an MRI performed on his right arm today, after being put on the 15-day disabled list by the baseball club.

Litsch, the portly 24-year-old right-hander, strained his right forearm during the fourth inning of Monday's outing against the Minnesota Twins.

After throwing an inside pitch to Twins outfielder Delmon Young for a strike, Litsch appeared to be in a lot of comfort.  He made a motion to the Jays dugout, forcing manager Cito Gaston to pull him from the game for left-handed reliever Brian Tallet.

To that point, Litsch was ineffective allowing four runs on seven hits in just three innings of work.  In the second inning, he coughed up a solo homer to Jason Kubel—the fourth homer the Tampa native has given up in two starts this season.

Litsch surrendered three taters on seven hits in five innings against the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday.

A year ago, in his second full season with the Jays, Litsch compiled an impressive 13-9 record with a 3.58 ERA.  Prior to the injury, he was being counted on heavily by the Jays in 2009 to put up  similar numbers, after the club lost 18-game winner A.J Burnett via free-agency in the offseason to the New York Yankees.

The Jays began the year with three inexperienced starters—Ricky Romero, David Purcey and Scott Richmond—in their starting rotation behind Litsch and ace Roy Halladay.  Halladay won 20 games a year ago and finished second in the Cy Young balloting to Cleveland lefty Cliff Lee.

The Blue Jays have called up Triple-A left-hander Bill Murphy from Last Vegas to fill the roster spot vacated by Litsch.  Tallet will move into Litsch's starting position and pitch on Saturday against the Oakland Athletics.