Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober blames his elbow injury on slick baseballs used during his May 24 start at Fenway Park. The pitcher, now on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, told The Minnesota Star Tribune the baseballs were the worst rubbed in his six MLB seasons, forcing him to grip harder and straining his arm during his five innings.

That game against the Red Sox came in steady rain that turned Fenway's infield into mush. "The only way to be able to throw slick baseballs is to grip them harder," said Ober, who made his last start against Pittsburgh before being placed on IL. The Twins manager Derek Shelton filed a complaint with MLB about the baseballs, which Sonny Gray called "absolutely brutal."

MLB reviewed the balls from the game and deemed them up to league standards, despite Ober and trainer Nick Paparesta tracing the injury to that start. Ober expects to miss about a month as the Twins rotation adjusts to his absence while the league maintains its equipment met specifications.