(SportsRadio 610) -- Everything was fine for Astros right-handed starter Jose Urquidy when he threw his first pitches against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
He made it through his normal pre-game routine and felt fine in the first inning, too. But in the second, as Urquidy threw his 27th pitch, he felt something wrong in his armpit, close to his shoulder.
An MRI on Wednesday showed tightness and inflammation of the shoulder, but no structural damage, Urquidy told reporters later in the evening.
He's been placed on the 10-day injured list and a return all depends on how he's feeling.
"It's nothing big. It all depends on me, day by day," Urquidy said. "I will be here working out the problem, but I think I'm going to be ready. It's not going to take a long time, for sure."
A similar issue with inflammation and soreness in Urquidy's right shoulder landed him on the injured list May 13, but he was reinstated about two weeks later after just one rehab assignment with Triple A Sugar Land.
Urquidy (6-3, 3.38 ERA) has become one of the Astros' more reliable pitchers over the past few seasons. This year, his 4.3 percent walk rate is among the best in baseball.
The Astros have a surplus of starting pitching, which allows them to aid a struggling bullpen. But losing any starter could compromise the bullpen, as manager Dusty Baker is still experimenting with how to use his limited options. Only five teams in the Majors have a worst save percentage than the Astros.
Their bullpen is also below the league average in games entered with high leverage situations.
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