Pirates’ Chris Archer leaves start after 1 inning because of shoulder injury

It’s tough to determine whose season has turned more nightmarish — the Pittsburgh Pirates’ or veteran starter Chris Archer’s.

Each took a further turn for the worse Tuesday when Archer left his start after one inning because of injury. The reason the team gave for Archer’s removal was “right shoulder discomfort.”

There was no immediate word after the game on the severity of the injury, and Archer was not available in the clubhouse.

“There’s no way to know until we send him in to get an MRI and have the doctor look at him tomorrow,” manager Clint Hurdle said.

Archer came out for warm-ups to begin the second inning, but something felt wrong as pitches were sailing high on him. After being examined by medical personnel and Hurdle, Archer was removed from the game. Clay Holmes relieved him.

Chris Archer, injury ? pic.twitter.com/3Hs6rz3HQa

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2019

Archer had allowed two singles but struck out two in a scoreless first inning against the Washington Nationals in which he threw 17 pitches.

“Obviously, (Archer’s shoulder) was fine the first inning, the way he threw the ball and cut (Nationals hitters) up,” Hurdle said, “and then something just reacted wrong in his warmups… His warmups were all out of whack. You kind of think, ‘That’s different.’ He knew that it was way too different.”

The prized acquisition at last year’s trade deadline whose price from the Tampa Bay Rays was three top prospects, Archer was 6-12 with a 4.95 in 32 prior starts with the Pirates, who lost 20 of those outings, including each of the past seven.

Archer was coming off a season-high-tying 10-strikeout effort last week at the Los Angeles Angels.

He averaged 32½ starts over the past five seasons, his durability frequently cited by management as a reason they traded for him to work at or near the top of their rotation. Archer spent about two weeks on the injured list in late April and early May this season because of thumb irritation. He is 3-9 with a 5.19 ERA in 119 2/3 innings this season.

The Pirates hold an $8.25 million contract option on Archer for each the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

The last-place Pirates entered Tuesday having lost 27 of 35 games since the All-Star break and having been outscored 22-1 during a three-game losing streak. Opening Day starter Jameson Taillon had Tommy John surgery last week and won’t pitch again until 2021.

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