Mariners lefty Cliff Lee to miss at least week of spring training with abdominal strain

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Mariners’ Lee to miss week with abdominal injury

PEORIA, Ariz. — Cliff Lee’s eventful first spring with the Seattle Mariners continued on Friday when the lefty ace was diagnosed with a lower right abdominal strain that will cost him at least a week of spring training.

Lee was examined in Seattle on Friday by team physician Dr. Edward Khalfayan. Lee underwent an ultrasound and was given a platelet-rich plasma injection. The team said he would be re-evaluated in seven days.

“We are hoping for a speedy recovery and look forward to him returning,” Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a statement.

It hasn’t been a smooth first stretch for Lee with the Mariners. He underwent surgery on Feb. 5 to remove a bone spur on his left foot. That slowed his progress in spring training and he’s been limited to just 5 2-3 innings so far.

He was also ejected from a game against Arizona earlier this week for throwing inside to Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder before zipping a fastball over his helmet.

Lee was suspended for the first five games of the regular season and fined by Major League Baseball vice president of discipline Bob Watson.

The trouble between Lee and Snyder may have started in the first inning when they collided as the pitcher was backing up a play at home plate. In the third inning, Lee was tossed after his two pitches to Snyder.

Snyder walked toward the mound and the dugouts and bullpens emptied, but no punches were thrown. Lee denied he was trying to retaliate.

“I was trying to go inside and a couple got away from me and the guy hitting got mad and came close to the mound and I got thrown out of the game in the process,” Lee said at the time. “That’s it in a nutshell.”

Snyder missed much of last season with injuries, and his Arizona teammates called Lee’s actions “bush league.”

Lee was acquired from Philadelphia in a four-team trade in the offseason, giving Seattle two of the top pitchers in the American League. Lee is expected to team with 2009 AL Cy Young runner-up Felix Hernandez at the top of the rotation.

Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA for the Phillies after he was acquired from Cleveland on July 29. He was even better in the playoffs, going 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts and earning both of Philadelphia’s wins in the World Series against the New York Yankees.

The 31-year-old has one year and $9 million remaining on his contract.