When Dallas Braden's left shoulder initially started barking, it was a cause for concern, but it wasn't thought to be anything major, and an examination revealed no structural damage. So Braden got himself on a throwing program, looking to work his way back into baseball shape. However, he experienced a setback, and long story short, now he needs to go under the knife:
Dallas Braden Injury Requires Surgery To Repair Shoulder Tear
The #A’s announced today that Dallas Braden will undergo surgery Monday to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder. Recovery time TBD.
The surgery will be performed next Monday by Mets doctor David Altchek. And, obviously, this is a major blow to an A's team with eyes towards making a run at the playoffs. It's unknown at this point how long Braden will be out of action, but to see him return in 2011 would be a surprise.
The good news for Oakland is that they still have a strong rotation with Brett Anderson, Gio Gonzalez, Brandon McCarthy and Trevor Cahill, and Tyson Ross has to date pitched decently well in Braden's place. But Braden's still one of the organization's top arms, so replacing him with Ross for the bulk of a full season isn't exactly an upgrade.
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