LAKELAND, Fla. – Joel Zumaya is hurting a little bit, once again.
Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said the 26-year-old reliever's surgically repaired right elbow bothered him after pitching Sunday. Zumaya's elbow is a little tender where a screw was inserted during surgery last July 12.
Speaking after Wednesday's 6-3 loss to a Houston Astros' split squad, Leyland said he is uncertain when Zumaya will pitch next.
"We checked it out medically and there was nothing more than a little inflammation," Leyland said. "Absolutely no red flag whatsoever."
For most pitchers it might have been considered normal soreness, but most pitchers do not have history of injuries — he has been on the disabled list in each of the last four seasons.
"I don't think this is uncommon," Leyland said, "but who knows?"
Hunter Pence had an RBI single and tripled for the second straight day. Oswaldo Navarro hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning for the Astros, who won for the first time this spring training. J.A. Happ worked two innings in his first start.
Phil Coke struck out four in three innings but took the loss for the Tigers, their first in six games. Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 3 in his first game at first base this spring.
Casper Wells had two of Detroit's five hits.
Houston catcher Jason Castro left the game after spraining his right knee while grounding out to first base in the seventh inning. He will have an MRI Thursday in Kissimmee.
The 23-year-old Castro became the Astros' regular catcher last season, playing in 67 games just two years after being drafted in the first round out of Stanford.
Castro said after the game he is optimistic the injury is not serious.
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