Seattle Mariners right-hander Kendall Graveman said he will return from the injured list soon even though doctors recently discovered a bone tumor in the C6 part of his cervical spine, the Seattle Times reported Monday.
Graveman, 29, has been on the injured list since Aug. 4 with what originally was diagnosed with neck spasms. The C5 and C6 part of the cervical spine provides flexibility and support to the neck and head.
“They said it can’t get any worse,” Graveman told the Seattle Times about the tumor, which is benign. “It doesn’t grow. It doesn’t spread. So right now, medically, that’s what I’m dealing with.”
Graveman said he plans on having one more rehab outing in an intrasquad game before he returns but admits that he will have to pitch through discomfort. He plans on having surgery to correct the issue at some point in the future.
After two starts this season, Graveman was 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Mariners in the offseason after spending the previous four seasons with the Oakland Athletics.
In six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, A’s and Mariners, Graveman is 23-31 with a 4.45 ERA in 85 appearances (80 starts).