CHICAGO -- Tommy Milone tried to throw in the bullpen this morning in advance of his start on Monday.
``It was not good," he said.
Soon after that, the Twins announced that Milone would not make his start on Monday against the Tigers. Milone felt pain shoot up his neck on Wednesday during long toss drills and felt discomfort throughout his session on Saturday
``I could feel it on pretty much every throw," Milone said. ``It wasn't bad but I could tell I was holding back. I was trying to not make my neck hurt.
``The last two pitches I tried to let it go like I would normally in a game. And it didn't feel good. We shut it down."
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that Anthony Swarzak is the preferred candidate to start in place of Milone, but that's if the bullpen survives three games in two days in Chicago, thanks to Friday's rainout creating a doubleheader on Saturday. Swarzak is 3-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 47 games (one start).
``He's not starting," Gardenhire said. ``We will be ad-libbing on Monday. We have to get through these three games and see where we are at with the bullpen and everyone else.
It's been a rocky road for Milone since being traded to the Twins from Oakland for Sam Fuld on July 31. Milone, 27, was 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts with Oakland but is 0-1, 7.40 in five starts with the Twins.
He missed his previous because of a tired arm, but said on Saturday that his arm felt great.
