Carl Pavano Out 6 to 8 Weeks

Free agent right-hander Carl Pavano will miss the next 6-8 weeks after reportedly rupturing his spleen. Pavano was shoveling snow at his Vermont home when the injury occurred, according to Yahoo!’s Big League Stew. Pavano has yet to sign with anyone on the open market.

It’d be easy to ask why Carl Pavano is still shoveling snow from his own driveway, but he’ll now miss 6-8 weeks after doing so. (Image Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports)

Given the timeframe that he is expected to miss and the fact that he likely won’t start a throwing program until mid-March, this is a tough blow for Pavano’s offseason as he won’t be ready for the start of Spring Training. Now 37, he’s already in a precarious position coming off of an injury plagued 2012 campaign that was cut short due to soreness in his right shoulder. Pavano made just 11 starts last season, going 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in just 63.0 innings. Interest has been minimal over the course of the winter. Minnesota never appeared to be a likely option. The New York Mets and Colorado Rockies were the most recent suitors to be connected to Pavano, but the Mets filled their rotation void by agreeing to a deal with Shaun Marcum earlier Thursday. Colorado is reportedly no longer interested after the injury, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

While options may be dwindling on the open market for those teams still looking to add pitching depth, there are still numerous healthy pitchers available. Pavano’s chances of signing a deal before Opening Day appear slim and it looks as though he will need to be willing to accept a minor league contract somewhere.