NEW YORK — Alex Wood was in a joking mood Friday about his left triceps injury. He said he sustained the injury on a swing last weekend in San Diego, a game in which he finished 0 for 2, ending a modest four-game hitting streak.
“That’s why it ended,” Wood said of the streak. “It happened in my first AB.”
Jokes are good for the soul and the prognosis for Wood’s injury isn’t bad either. The left-hander said he could have started Friday on five days’ rest.
Instead he’ll start Monday in Chicago against the Cubs and Julio Urias — in case you haven’t heard — is making his major league debut tonight against the New York Mets.
“I probably could’ve thrown today, but you don’t know what’s going to happen after — after that start, is there going to be something that causes me to miss actual time? Give me a few extra days to Monday to let it subside completely. Hopefully be in the clear the rest of the way out.”
Wood described the decision to delay his start three days as a compromise. He plans to throw a light bullpen session Saturday. This is the first time he’s dealt with such an injury.
“It’s not too often I get something from swinging a bat,” he said. “It’s kind of a weird ordeal. It’s been something new for me.”
Scott Kazmir has been limited to bunting and half-swings for weeks now because of a sore spot near his left thumb. Wood, who hasn’t taken batting practice at all this week, acknowledged he might have to do the same.
“Hopefully we’ll have a bunch of guys on base so I can lay down a sacrifice,” he said.