Good luck trading him now: Orioles put Kevin Millwood on DL

Whatever slim chance the Orioles had of getting anything of value for Kevin Millwood before the trade deadline likely vanished today as he was placed on the disabled list with a strained forearm. Millwood has allowed 38 runs in 33.2 innings over his last seven starts, including a one-inning, five-run clunker last week after which manager Juan Samuel basically concluded he must have some kind of injury.

Knowing Kevin, he’s not going to tell you what’s wrong and what’s not. He is one of those guys that’s going to take the ball anytime you give it to him. Yes, we have some concern that maybe he pitched a bunch early in the season. Who knows, but we’ll see. We are trying to figure out which way we are going to go with him.

Samuel reportedly had a closed-door meeting with Millwood and apparently convinced him to admit to being hurt and take some time off. He’s just 2-8 with a 5.88 ERA in 18 starts overall, which certainly isn’t what the Orioles were hoping for when they acquired the impending free agent and his $12 million salary from the Rangers this winter. Since winning the ERA title in 2005 with a 2.86 mark Millwood has a 4.72 ERA in 143 starts, including an ERA above 5.00 in three of the past four seasons.