The Kansas City Royals traded Zack Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers and though the two teams have yet to play any games that count, it appears the Royals will win the early battle of the trade.
For a week at least.
Greinke suffered a rib injury, according to various media reports, and is expected to miss at least the regular season opener and quite possibly even more games.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports it could be as many as three games. Greinke has one bruised rib and one hairline fracture. The bone could take 4-6 weeks to heal. If that time line is correct, it would put Greinke's return, at best, early in the second week of April.
SB Nation's Jeff Sullivan passes along news that Greinke's injury came while playing basketball.
Greinke had some early workouts pushed back this spring due to a rib injury. Eventually he made his way to the mound and started a couple games, but he wasn't quite himself, and now the Brewers are saying that Greinke will miss his first few starts of the regular season with a rib injury. As it turns out, Greinke fractured a rib while playing basketball and going after a rebound.
I'd be curious to hear what the Brewers say. I don't have direct knowledge of Greinke's contract but it's not unusual (if not standard) for there to be a clause prohibiting other contact sports, like basketball.
So the Brewers won't be able to celebrate Greinke's arrival on opening day. This has got to be a disappointment on a competitive level -- the Brewers obviously aren't as good without Greinke -- and on a marketing level -- the Greinke-less Brewers are less interesting.