Mark Mulder ruptures achilles, likely out for season

Angels left-hander Mark Mulder is not expected to pitch this season after rupturing his achilles in agility drills on Saturday, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Mulder was attempting a comeback after not pitching in the major leagues since 2008.

Mulder, 36, signed a minor league deal with the Angels in early January after drawing interest from many teams as a free agent. He was set to earn $1MM if he made the Opening Day roster, and could have potentially earned $6MM if he met all of the incentive clauses in his contract.

Mulder seemed like a leading candidate to snag the fifth spot in the Angels' rotation, but new acquisition Tyler Skaggs will likely have to battle veteran Joe Blanton for that spot. The team could look to add a starter, but the free agent market is limited with camps opening across Arizona and Florida.

While it is not clear if Mulder's injury will signify the true end of his career, today's news is definitely discouraging for a veteran who claimed that his arm felt better than ever. Mulder sent out a tweet on Saturday, claiming that his son's reaction was the hardest part of the entire ordeal.

I can handle this. But seeing my son in tears when he saw me in a boot and crutches and I told him I wasn't going to pitch. That was tough.

— Mark Mulder (@markmulder20) February 15, 2014