SAN DIEGO -- Right-hander Mike Clevinger of the playoff-bound San Diego Padres was pulled after only one inning in his start against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday because of tightness in the biceps tendon area of his throwing arm, according to manager Jayce Tingler.
The team is awaiting the results of an MRI.
Clevinger's start had been pushed back from Saturday night because of tightness in his right biceps.
Tingler said Tuesday that the right-hander threw a bullpen session Monday and seemed good to go for his start Wednesday afternoon. A few days earlier, Tingler held out hope that Clevinger might even be able to make two more starts before the regular season ended, if even the second one was brief.
Clevinger, obtained in a blockbuster trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31, breezed through the first inning on 12 pitches, including striking out Mike Trout and David Fletcher.
Rookie Adrian Morejon began warming up in the bullpen while the Padres batted in the bottom of the inning and came out to start the second. Morejon gave up a two-run home run to Shohei Ohtani and solo shots to Justin Upton and Anthony Bemboom as the Angels took a 4-2 lead en route to a 5-2 win.
"It would be a big blow if we lost Clev," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "I think a lot of us position players were kind of asking the same thing, whether or not he had been scheduled to throw that amount or what was going on. We're hoping for the best news."
The Padres earned their first playoff berth since 2006 with an 11-inning victory against Seattle on Sunday. They're 0-2 since then, getting swept by the Angels, and their magic number remains at two for clinching home-field advantage as the NL's No. 4 seed in the wild-card round next week.
Though Clevinger had been the presumed Game 1 starter in the wild-card round starting next Wednesday, that role could now go to Dinelson Lamet. If the Padres don't have Clevinger for the playoffs, "We're comfortable with our options, yeah, but like I said, we're not going to flip out and freak out," Tingler said. "We're going to get some information, whether it's later this evening, and kind of go from there."
Clevinger is 3-2 overall this season, with a 3.02 ERA and 40 strikeouts.
"All the things that were said about Clev, he is that," Hosmer said. "He's fit in extremely well with this team. He's getting great with the guys and you can already see him rubbing off on other starters."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.