Diamondbacks send Madison Bumgarner back to Arizona for tests on arm

LOS ANGELES — The Diamondbacks sent left-hander Madison Bumgarner back to Arizona to undergo testing on his left arm after he said he experienced “arm fatigue” during his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night, manager Torey Lovullo said.

“We just thought it would be the best thing for him to get back to Phoenix to let our doctors get a look at him,” Lovullo said. “On the urgency scale, I don’t think it’s very high, but it’s all precautionary at this point.”

Bumgarner’s fastball velocity was down more than 2 mph early in Saturday’s start, prompting Diamondbacks trainer Ryan DiPanfilo to check in with Bumgarner in the dugout after the second inning to make sure he wasn’t hurt.

Bumgarner told reporters after the game he didn’t feel great but chalked it up to “one of those days” in which his body did not feel strong. The Diamondbacks, who lost the game 10-1, decided it was a little more concerning than that based on what Bumgarner told them, Lovullo said.

“He felt like there was a little bit of fatigue,” Lovullo said. “He just couldn’t explain it, so we felt at that point in time it would be best for him to go out and get examined.”

Lovullo said it wasn’t in any particular part of the arm, suggesting the team will check his shoulder down to his forearm.

“He said there was an inning where he felt like there was a little bit of fatigue and he was unable to command the ball the way he wanted to,” Lovullo said. “I don’t know what inning it was, but it was enough for us to be smart about it.”

Bumgarner feels “very strongly” that he is not going to miss a start, Lovullo said. Still, if the club does have to make a change in the rotation, it already has a potential option in the bullpen in right-hander Drey Jameson, who made a four-inning relief appearance on Friday night.

Jameson’s presence, long with other young arms like Brandon Pfaadt and Tommy Henry in Triple-A Reno, would seemingly increase pressure on Bumgarner to pitch well early in the year, especially considering the Diamondbacks are hoping to field a contending team this year.

Bumgarner struggled badly in the second half last year. He gave up five runs in the first inning on Saturday night, four coming on a grand slam by Trayce Thompson, the first of three homers he hit on the night.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks send Madison Bumgarner back to Arizona with 'fatigued' arm