Oakland Athletics starter Jarrod Parker will undergo Tommy John surgery next Tuesday and miss all of the 2014 season, according to MLB.com.
Jarrod Parker to undergo Tommy John surgery
Parker is set to miss the entire 2014 season after a visit to Dr. James Andrews revealed the need for Tommy John surgery.
Leon Halip
Parker had been experiencing forearm tightness throughout spring training and also struggled with forearm issues at the end of the 2013 campaign. The right-hander visited Dr. James Andrews earlier on Monday, an appointment that apparently revealed structural issues in Parker's arm which will force him to have Tommy John surgery. The three-year veteran has already undergone Tommy John surgery once back in 2009 as a member of the Diamondbacks.
Parker isn't the only Athletics pitcher experiencing arm problems this spring, as A.J. Griffin has dealt with flexor tendinitis in his elbow and has been shut down for three weeks.
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The 25-year-old has been one of Oakland’s best starters since the A’s traded for him prior to the 2012 season. In 2013, Parker finished with a 3.97 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 197 innings pitched. Following a rough start to the season, however, Parker improved mightily from June onward, posting a 3.33 ERA despite a few rocky starts in September. It was his second straight strong campaign after an impressive rookie season in which Parker compiled a 3.47 ERA and finished fifth overall in the AL Rookie of the Year voting during his first full big league season.
Parker's injury and Griffin's continuing arm issues leave Oakland's starting rotation a bit thin heading into the final weeks of spring training. Incumbents Sonny Gray, Dan Straily and Tommy Milone are all expected to be in the A's rotation, while free-agent signing Scott Kazmir should be ready to go despite some triceps tightness that cropped up on Monday.
The Athletics do have a couple options to fill out the fifth spot in the rotation if Griffin's elbow issues become serious. Drew Pomeranz, Jesse Chavez, and Josh Lindblom have pitched for the A's this spring and look the most likely options for any potential spot that opens up unless Oakland brings in an outside candidate to fill in.
Whether Griffin or someone else slots into the A’s rotation remains to be seen. Parker’s injury is serious enough, however, that he is headed for Tommy John surgery, and as a result, will miss the entire 2014 season.
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