Mariners RHP Kendall Graveman has benign tumour

By: The Associated Press Posted: 5:25 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 Last Modified: 5:26 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 17, 2020

TACOMA, Wash. - Seattle Mariners pitcher Kendall Graveman said Monday he has a benign bone tumour in his cervical spine but intends to continue pitching.

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TACOMA, Wash. - Seattle Mariners pitcher Kendall Graveman said Monday he has a benign bone tumour in his cervical spine but intends to continue pitching.

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This article was published 17/08/2020 (2115 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TACOMA, Wash. – Seattle Mariners pitcher Kendall Graveman said Monday he has a benign bone tumour in his cervical spine but intends to continue pitching.

Graveman, who spoke after making a rehab outing, started this season in Seattle’s rotation and made two starts before going on the injured list with a neck spasm.

He said the symptoms first developed in 2018 and a diagnosis of the tumour came last season while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery in the Chicago Cubs organization. He said the location of the tumour makes it difficult to do a surgical procedure.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kendall Graveman, left, throws to Houston Astros' Alex Bregman during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

“It has been lingering for about close to two years now. It helps with medicine, but still the whole process has been trial and error. So that’s what we’re dealing with,” Graveman said. “I’ve seen plenty of specialists. I’ve seen numerous doctors. There is a procedure that is a possibility, maybe something that later on down the road we’ll check into. But I’m just going out there competing with it is the only thing right now that we can do, and continue to work through it.”

Graveman said he was told the tumour will not get worse, will not grow, but it does cause inflammation. Medication has helped reduce some of the inflammation, but he said the pain is not a traditional muscle or nerve pain and that it’s difficult to describe.

“I’m not here to hide anything. That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s what we’re faced with,” Graveman said. “And I just continue to hope that there is relief in the future and continue to pitch and pitch through it.”

Graveman missed the entire 2019 season following elbow surgery. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle in the off-season in the hope of restarting his career. Graveman pitched in an intrasquad game Monday at Seattle’s alternate training site and hopes to make one more start before potentially rejoining the Mariners rotation.