OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Seattle starter Joel Pineiro will be placed on the disabled list this week with a strained right elbow, an injury that's not as severe as the club first thought.

Doctors determined Pineiro won't need surgery now, and the Mariners are hopeful he will return this season after initially fearing the 25-year-old right-hander had a season-ending injury. Pineiro complained of soreness after throwing a changeup in the eighth inning of his start Sunday, then he threw two more pitches before leaving the game on schedule having thrown 114 pitches.

Pineiro (6-11) underwent one MRI on Sunday night, then another Monday that included an injection of dye into the elbow to determine whether there was ligament damage.

”Once we got the news the tendon is intact it was quite a relief off his mind,” manager Bob Melvin said Monday after speaking to Pineiro twice on the phone. ”I didn't think it was going to be this good of news.”

Pineiro didn't travel with the team to Oakland, but will rejoin the Mariners on Thursday in Anaheim to begin rehabilitation.

The Mariners are likely to call up Gil Meche from Triple-A Tacoma to take Pineiro's spot in the rotation, meaning Meche would start Friday in Anaheim. Melvin said Seattle might bring up a position player to get them to Friday.

Pineiro will be re-evaluated once the team returns home, and then a timetable will be established for him to resume throwing.

The injury is to the flexor bundle, several tendons that come together in the same place and are used to flex the wrist, trainer Rick Griffin said.

”Up until that point, he hadn't had any elbow problems,” Griffin said, comparing the injury to a strained hamstring. ”He hadn't had any problems while with us or in his career.”

Pineiro allowed five hits and one run, struck out seven and walked none in Sunday's outing. He has a 4.67 ERA and leads the Mariners with 111 strikeouts, 140 2-3 innings pitched and 21 starts.

Lefty starter Jamie Moyer had the same injury during the 1997 playoffs.

”I'm glad it's not his ligament,” Moyer said. ”Time is probably the best thing. It didn't feel good.”