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Sonny Gray To Start Season On Disabled List

(CBS SF) -- Sonny Gray will not be the Oakland A's opening day starter. Instead he will start the season on the disabled list after suffering a moderate lat strain. Gray will be shutdown from throwing for three weeks to allow the injury to heal.

It's an unfortunate setback for the 27-year old, who was anxious to put a disappointing 2016 season behind him. "It's a tough pill to swallow for him as hard as he worked coming into camp and getting past the issues that he had last year, so it's not easy but it's something he's going to have to deal with," A's manager Bob Melvin told reporters before Thursday's game.

Gray began to feel the discomfort following his start Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. He allowed seven runs in two innings.

Earlier this spring Gray was denied the necessary insurance coverage to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic due to injury concerns. He had two stints on the disabled list in 2016 and pitched only 117 innings.

With Gray sidelined, Kendall Graveman is projected to be the A's opening day starter. Oakland begins its season April 3rd against the Los Angeles Angels.

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