Ducks place Dontrelle Willis on inactive list with forearm tightness

Ducks pitcher Dontrelle Willis was placed on the inactive list Tuesday with tightness in his left forearm, according to the team's general manager Michael Pfaff.

The lefthander was scratched from his start Sunday at Somerset when he felt tightness during pregame warm-ups. Pfaff said Willis will be re-evaluated after he throws a bullpen session Wednesday, and could return to start Saturday's home game against Bridgeport if all goes well. No MRI has been scheduled.

"He had some forearm stiffness before his start last Sunday and is day-to-day," Pfaff said. "He'll throw a bullpen session and assuming he does well in that he'll be activated for Saturday's start. In the event he has any further soreness, we probably won't see him pitch again until the All-star Game [on July 10] or after the All-Star break."

Pfaff said he placed Willis and pitcher Matt Way on the inactive list to help make room for outfielder Ray Navarrete and pitcher T.J. House, who were both ready to come off the inactive list.

The Ducks also re-signed Kraig Binick, who was playing in the Mexican League, and traded outfielder Rian Kiniry to the Grand Prairie Air Hogs of the American Association.

Binick won the Atlantic League batting title with the Ducks in 2011 and led the team with 32 stolen bases last season.

"Right now, we had three players ready to be activated today and Dontrelle wouldn't be ready to start at the minimum by Saturday so we were just making room on the active roster," Pfaff said. "It's great to have Kraig back . . . we haven't had anybody step up and be that speed guy on the base paths or the guy who's the catalyst for the offense that Kraig has been, so he's a sight for sore eyes."