Mariners place reliever Kelley on DL with elbow inflammation

Now we know officially why Shawn Kelley wasn’t in the bullpen Thursday. He was having an MRI on his ailing right elbow.

The MRI showed inflammation in the elbow and the Mariners today placed Kelley on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 16. He’ll be eligible to be activated July 1.

Right-hander Doug Fister, who’ll start Saturday at Milwaukee, was activated from the DL. He’s been out because of shoulder fatigue.

While it’s good news that Kelley’s MRI showed only inflammation, this is still something to watch carefully. There’s a reason for the inflammation and I can’t count the number of pitchers over the years who’ve wound up with something more serious.

Hopefully in Kelley’s case, it calms down and he can return to the mound with no further problems. As we wrote earlier today, the bullpen could be stretched during the interleague games at Milwaukee, especially with closer David Aardsma prepared to leave at any moment to attend the birth of his child.