Seattle Loses Pitching Ace Johnson For At Least One Start With Back Pain

Randy Johnson has an inflamed nerve in his back and will miss at least one start, the Seattle Mariners said Thursday night.

Last year’s A.L. Cy Young Award winner lasted just two innings in Texas on Wednesday.

“When a pitcher misses a start, particularly your ace, it’s not good news,” manager Lou Piniella said. “Let’s hope it doesn’t linger. That’s the biggest concern.”

Trainer Rick Griffin said Johnson won’t pick up a baseball until at least Monday, his next scheduled start.

“If you’ve been to spring training enough, you know Randy’s had some problems with his back,” Griffin said. “He usually gets it earlier in the season.”

In a 5-4 loss to the Rangers, Johnson gave up four runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out three. He departed Wednesday’s game with a tight right calf muscle.

Griffin said Johnson’s inflamed nerve in the lower right back caused the calf problem.

“The calf fatigues very quickly because it doesn’t function properly,” he explained. “The nerve starts in the back and goes to the calf.”

Griffin said it was the first time Johnson had had an inflamed nerve in his back. The 6-foot-10 left-hander has been bothered by back spasms in the past, he said.

Piniella said he didn’t know who he would start in Johnson’s place. He said the starter could come from the Mariners’ current staff or a pitcher from Triple-A Tacoma.

The Mariners can’t afford to lose Johnson for too long, Piniella said.

“We hope he’s OK by next weekend,” he said. “We just hope this isn’t very serious. Let’s get it taken care of. Hopefully, it’s just one start and we’ll get him back out there pitching again.”

Experiencing back pain, Johnson lasted just into the fourth in Milwaukee last Friday in a game the Mariners won 6-5. He surrendered three runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out one.

Johnson, 32, is 4-0 with a 4.08 ERA in seven starts this season. He has 51 strikeouts in just less than 40 innings.

In 1995, when Seattle won the A.L. West, Johnson was 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA in 30 starts. He won his fourth consecutive major league strikeout title with 294 strikeouts.

The Mariners opened a four-game series against Cleveland Thursday night, but the game was suspended by an earthquake.

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