TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays placed right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera on the 10-day disabled list Saturday with elbow inflammation in his throwing arm.
The move, announced before Toronto’s afternoon home game against the Detroit Tigers, is retroactive to Thursday.
“It’s an unfortunate thing, obviously I’m disappointed. Nobody wants to go on the DL,” Tepera said. “You want to be out there with your teammates and compete every day.”
Tepera, who’s been used mostly in late-inning situations, is 5-3 with a 2.97 earned-run average and six saves over 39 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays.
The 30-year-old from Houston is 12-7 over 168 1/3 career innings — all with Toronto — with a 3.31 ERA and nine saves.
Reliever Jake Petricka was recalled from triple-A Buffalo to take Tepera’s spot on the roster.
Tepera said he first felt the inflammation during Toronto’s four-game road series against the L.A. Angels last week. He pitched twice over that series and appeared in a game in Houston after that.
“Just a little bit of soreness in the elbow,” Tepera said. “It’s more of a recovery thing right now. I noticed it the next day, just not recovering the right way.
“I got some treatment, went into Houston and didn’t pitch the first two games. And then after the last game in Houston, the following day the same thing, just a little bit of soreness lingering.”
It’s Tepera’s first time on the disabled list.
Tepera has not undergone an MRI on the elbow but said strength tests done by the Blue Jays showed positive signs.
“As far as the area it is, it is concerning but the strength tests, all that came back good so all we can do is take it day by day,” he said.