11:49pm: Not only do the Athletics believe Cotton will pitch again this season, but they’re confident he will return “at a fairly rapid pace,” team trainer Nick Paparesta said (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Cotton will begin throwing again in a week to 10 days, per Paparesta.
5:06pm: The Athletics announced Thursday that right-hander Jharel Cotton underwent right hamstring debridement surgery earlier today. He’ll remain in Dallas, where the operation was performed, until a followup appointment next week before returning to Oakland to continue his rehab.
Cotton hasn’t pitched in 2019, as he’s been on the mend from Tommy John surgery he underwent last spring. He’d gone out on a rehab assignment and was expected to return to the club as a reliever, but today’s surgery obviously clouds his potential return. It’s not fully clear now when he’ll be activated — or even if he can be expected back in 2019 at all. Presumably, the Athletics will provide a further timetable once they have more information.
The 27-year-old Cotton came to the A’s alongside Frankie Montas and Grant Holmes in the 2016 trade that sent Rich Hill and Josh Reddick to the Dodgers. To this point, the righty has yet to find much consistency in the big leagues, although he’s certainly shown glimpses of his potential. He’s a former top 100 prospect with 158 1/3 innings of 4.95 ERA ball under his belt, averaging 7.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 along the way.
He was sacrificed so Puk, Manaea, Luzardo and Kaprielian could come back healthy. You won’t be forgotten, Jarule.
And no, this doesn’t put us in the running for Keuchel.
It’s Jarel!
Actually it’s Jo-Rel.
When Cotton’s son grows up, he’s going to be super, man.
Bold move, Cotton, we’ll see if it pays off
sigh