Adbert Alzolay Has Right Flexor Strain, No Return Timeline Yet

Imaging on Adbert Alzolay‘s right forearm revealed a right flexor tendon strain, but the team has not yet said anything about a projected timeline for his return. The righty told reporters in Atlanta that the plan is to rest for five days and then see how it feels, at which point things may become a little clearer. This looks like a case of trying to guy it out rather than addressing the issue proactively, as Alzolay said he felt tightness in his forearm prior to Sunday’s outing and had also experienced soreness.

Alzolay says he won’t throw for five days and then evaluate how he feels. He isn’t sure of a timeline to return at the moment.

Before feeling tightness while warming up Sunday, Alzolay said he had experienced a little soreness in his forearm but nothing he was concerned about. https://t.co/pkmYSWbO9r

— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) May 14, 2024

It’s a tough situation because he probably pushed more than he should have in an effort to get right and prove that he can still be a high-leverage pitcher. If he’d told his manager or a coach he wasn’t feeling 100% healthy, he could have run the risk of being labeled as soft. Conversely, everyone calling for a phantom IL stint felt that was exactly the case once it was announced that Alzolay was going on the shelf.

I’d guess he’ll be out beyond the minimum and maybe as much as 4-5 weeks depending on how much rehab time he needs in the minors. Maybe a little time off to reset will allow Alzolay to figure a few things out mechanically so he can come looking like he did last year.