Pitching in the bottom of the ninth, JJ Putz exited this afternoon's game against the Toronto Blues.

Facing  his first batter of the inning, Putz let go of what appeared to be a fastball which clocked in at 84mph (according to FSN) against Super Joe Inglett. After the pitch, which crossed up Jenji Johjima, you could see Putz shaking his arm.

A few pitches later, and Johjima was calling the trainer and manager to the mound to check out Putz, whom appeared very reluctant to leave his outing after walking one and getting ahead of his second hitter early.

It has obviously been a very frustrating season for Putz, who had been an absolutely dominant relief pitcher over the last two seasons. He has missed time with an oblique strain earlier this season and it will be interesting to see what Putz is diagnosed with. I am left thinking back to when Eric Gagne's 2005 season was cut short while undergoing Tommy John surgery. Gagne started that season on the disabled list due to an unrelated injury. A change in delivery could have been the mitigating circumstance to putting an end to Gagne's season.

I wonder if the same thing is going on with Putz?