McDowell’s Career Might Be in Jeopardy

Cleveland pitcher Jack McDowell, the 1993 AL Cy Young Award winner, said Friday he will not pitch again this season and that doctors told him his future in baseball is uncertain.

McDowell, who pitched more than 250 innings for three consecutive years in the early ‘90s, has developed nerve damage and a bone bruise since undergoing minor surgery on his pitching elbow in May. He said doctors don’t understand the nerve damage.

“They told me they’ve never seen anything like it in their life,” McDowell said.

Orthopedic surgeons James Andrews and Frank Jobe would not speculate when the 31-year-old right-hander might pitch again.

“From what they told me, nerves regenerate, but that takes time,” McDowell said.

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Toronto’s Orlando Merced had season-ending surgery on his inflamed right shoulder. . . . Catcher Rick Wilkins signed with Seattle two weeks after being released by San Francisco. He was put on the 15-day disabled list because of an eye infection and was sent to triple-A Tacoma on a rehabilitation assignment. . . . Milwaukee sent pitcher Mike Misuraca and outfielder Todd Dunn to triple-A Tucson to make room for pitcher Mark Davis and free-agent infielder Julio Franco. Franco was signed as a free agent and Davis was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks this week.