FILE- In this April 21, 2016, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada throws to the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game in Baltimore. Estrada has gone on the disabled list because of a sore lower back and will not play in the All-Star Game. "My worst nightmare came true, unfortunately," Estrada said Wednesday, July 6. "In the long run, this is the right thing to do." (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu)
TORONTO (AP) – Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada has gone on the disabled list because of a sore lower back and will not play in the All-Star Game.
Estrada, who left Saturday's start after five innings because of back pain, still intends to travel to San Diego and participate in All-Star festivities. The first-time All-Star was put on the DL, a move made retroactive to Sunday.
"My worst nightmare came true, unfortunately," Estrada said Wednesday. "In the long run, this is the right thing to do."
Estrada, a 33-year-old right-hander, is 5-3 with a 2.93 ERA in 16 starts.
AL manager Ned Yost of Kansas City will select a replacement. Among the candidates is Toronto right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who is 9-1 with a 2.94 ERA. Toronto manager John Gibbons spoke with Yost to put in a good word.
"He's definitely an All-Star-caliber-type pitcher," Yost said. "There's three or four other guys, too. We'll get together as a staff and make a determination."
Right-hander Drew Hutchison will start in place of Estrada against Detroit on Thursday. Toronto recalled righty Bo Schultz from Triple-A Buffalo.
Estrada first dealt with a sore back in spring training and aggravated the injury swinging a bat during an interleague start at Philadelphia. Gibbons said Estrada won't pitch again until July 22 against Seattle, after an interleague series at Arizona.
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