The Oakland Athletics learned Tuesday they won’t have Dallas Braden for a while, but at least there is reasonable hope the left-handed pitcher still might return at some point in the first half of the season.
After an examination Monday in New York by Dr. David Altcheck, the surgeon who repaired a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder last May, Braden was given a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection. He was told he has to completely shut things down for three weeks.
But, clearly, Braden and the Athletics feared a potentially worse prognosis.
“He will do strengthening, but he won’t throw a ball for three weeks,” manager Bob Melvin said. “But from what we hear and from what the doctor told him, he just needed a shot, that it’s just a strain in his shoulder and they just want him to lay off and do more strengthening.”
Melvin isn’t sure how much Braden will have to make up once he can start throwing again later this month.
“The schedule he was on obviously we’re not on anymore, and we’ll start again after this three-week period is up, and we’ll see where he’s at,” the manager said. “He certainly won’t be back at square one, like he was after the surgery, but we’re not even looking at a schedule right now. We’re just waiting to see how he feels after three weeks and then going forward accordingly.”
Braden was at O.co Coliseum on Tuesday night but unavailable for comment
– In a move that was hardly a surprise, first baseman Daric Barton was placed on the 15-day disabled list as he continues to prepare his surgically repaired right shoulder for duty. Barton played in just seven spring training games, batting .176 with a double and no RBIs and indicated Monday that he still needs some strengthening to play every day.
“We just felt like he needed – and he felt it as well – several games in a row to really feel good about where his arm strength is,” Melvin said.
Barton’s D.L. assignment can be backdated six days from the A’s opener in Japan on March 28, meaning he will be eligible to be activated April 8. Melvin wouldn’t speculate if it would happen then.
“April 9 is the date where he could potentially be able to play, but we’ll see where is progress is,” the manager said.
Barton has returned to Arizona, where he will play in extended spring training games. Meanwhile, with Barton going on the shelf, the A’s have just one more roster trim to make to get down to the 25-man limit. That will almost certainly come down to a choice between starters Graham Godfrey, who pitched five scoreless innings Monday at AT&T Park, and Tyson Ross, who pitched Tuesday night against San Francisco at O.co Coliseum. The A’s won’t need a fifth starter until mid-April.
It also means that Brandon Allen and Kila Ka’aihue have made the club and will share duties at first base.
– Shortstop Cliff Pennington had the night off after removing himself from Monday’s game in San Francisco in the second inning with tightness in his groin. Pennington said he was feeling significantly better Tuesday, but Melvin doesn’t want to take any chances. If Pennington plays at all in the remainder of the Bay Bridge Series, it’ll likely be as a pinch-hitter.
– Right-handed reliever Joey Devine had an MRI on his elbow Monday to determine why he continues to be plagued by flexor tendinitis even though the elbow ligament he had repaired from Tommy John surgery is fine. A report is expected from Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday.
“The next 12 hours is going to answer a lot of questions,” Devine said. “We’ve thrown everything at it – rehab, medication, treatment in the training room. It just hasn’t responded to the point where I got injections on it, took all kinds of anti-inflammatories just to throw a baseball. Hopefully we can find out what’s going on and formulate a game plan.”
– Brett Anderson, on the 60-day disabled list following Tommy John elbow surgery last season, continues to make good progress in throwing sessions. Anderson threw 40 pitches in his latest bullpen session and was able to throw sliders and curveballs. Barring setbacks, Anderson is expected to return at some point after the All-Star break.
