SEATTLE, April 19 (UPI) -- Young pitching phenom Felix Hernandez of Seattle has a mild elbow strain, and has been shut down for 10-20 days.
Mariners' medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan Thursday described the injury as a Grade 1 flexor-pronator strain, which he said is mild.
"This is as good as news as you could receive in regards to an elbow injury," Khalfayan said on the team's Web site.
He said Hernandez will be re-evaluated when the 10-20 day period expires.
Hernandez left Wednesday night's game against Minnesota with tightness in his throwing elbow, after giving up three runs and two hits in one-third of an inning.
He had yielded no runs and just four hits over his first two starts (17 innings) before Wednesday's setback.
"Had he suffered damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, Hernandez would have needed season-ending surgery," Khalfayan added.
The 21-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with 18 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
