Advertisement

Rays’ Chris Archer expects to start opener despite scare in Friday tuneup

Archer was struck by a ball in a minor-league game.
 
Chris Archer working in a game earlier this spring in Clearwater. [MONICA HERNDON | Times}
Chris Archer working in a game earlier this spring in Clearwater. [MONICA HERNDON | Times}
Published March 23, 2018|Updated March 23, 2018

The Rays and RHP Chris Archer seem confident he will make his opening day start as scheduled Thursday despite being struck on the right forearm by a batted ball Friday in a minor-league game.

Archer said he sustained only a bruise after being hit on outside of the forearm below the elbow by a one-hop comebacker while on his follow through.

"It's just a bruise in kind of an awkward place but not on the bone," Archer said. "It doesn't look like opening day is going to be impacted at all."

Archer had the area covered with a pad and compression sleeve when talking to reporters after being treated by the team's athletic trainers. He said the bruise had some blue coloring and stitches of ball were visible on his arm.

"I wasn't scared," Archer said. "When I stood up and I felt where it hit me I knew that it didn't hit the bone. And you can get the inflammation out pretty quickly."

Manager Kevin Cash, who received word of the injury while managing the major-league game in the stadium, said Archer was removed from the game for "very precautionary" reasons and should be fine.

Archer said in a regular-season game he "would have contemplated" staying in and would know more after throwing a bullpen session on Monday.

Archer was working in the minor-league game on a back field so he could build up to 100-plus pitches in a controlled environment to cap what has been a solid spring. He was in the fifth inning, throwing his 59th pitch, when injured, so could be on a limited pitch count Thursday.

But he does plan to be pitching against the Red Sox:  "It's not a thought that I won't right now.''