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A.J. Puk Has No Structural Damage In Shoulder

By Connor Byrne | March 5, 2020 at 9:43pm CDT

MARCH 5: Today’s visit to Dr. Neil ElAttrache confirmed that Puk has no structural damage in the shoulder, manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle). The southpaw figures to resume throwing in the next few days, Melvin added.

MARCH 3: The Athletics have temporarily shut down left-hander A.J. Puk because of a mild shoulder strain, manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday (via Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). Fortunately for both sides, an MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, per Gallegos, who adds that the A’s will re-evaluate Puk on Thursday or Friday.

This doesn’t look like a serious injury at this point, but it’s a bit scary for an Oakland rotation that has dealt with constant issues over the past couple years. Puk wasn’t immune to those troubles prior to Thursday, as the prized 24-year-old missed all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and then sat out the majority of last season while recovering. He did work his way back late in the year, though, returning to make an impressive major league debut across 11 2/3 innings from the A’s bullpen. The towering Puk (6-foot-7) averaged just over 97 mph on his fastball during that brief showing.

Now, if he is healthy enough to begin the year in the bigs, Puk should be in line to open the season from the A’s rotation. The back-to-back playoff club boasts plenty of talent in that area, though the A’s fought no shortage of injuries in their starting staff during those two seasons. If all goes well over the next few weeks, Oakland figures to start 2020 with Puk complementing Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Jesus Luzardo and Mike Fiers in its rotation.

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Oakland Athletics A.J. Puk

NL Central Notes: Flaherty, Urias, Reds, Williams
Main
Injury Notes: Mercado, Robles, Brigham, Ginn
View Comments (40)
Post a Comment

40 Comments

  1. Asfan0780

    5 years ago

    A’s season will hinge on the health of the young starters who’s trackrecord is hard to trust. For short term, bassitt can easily replace puk but they also dont hqve much depth beyond that. Mendgden is injured himself, Blackburn is mediocre. After that maybe a dunshee, Howard, kaprelian, Holmes but if any of those guys get a chance that means A’s have had rotation issues

    Reply
    • Strike Four

      5 years ago

      Being that they had massive, massive SP injury problems and still won 97 back to back years, your claim of “A’s season will hinge on the health of the young starters” is factually incorrect.

      The teams defense sure has bailed out many “mediocre” pitchers over the last couple years and those guys are still there, that’s what the “season hinges on”. The A’s proved they simply don’t need high ceiling SPs by winning 97 games without them, period, end of story. They will make the playoffs with Blackburn starting 20+ games, and his ERA will be 3.50 and his FIP will be 6.00, haha

      2
      Reply
      • passed_balls

        5 years ago

        And they did it mostly without KD, Piscotty, and Treinen.

        Reply
        • Buzz Saw

          5 years ago

          Kevin Durant

          Reply
    • thekid9

      5 years ago

      Thank you Walter Cronkite

      1
      Reply
    • Les Chesterfield

      5 years ago

      After 2 97 win seasons you think next step is a title maybe ?? Are u going to win 3 playoff series without frontline starters ?? There success depends on health of pitching youth no doubt.

      A’s should be using Puk like brewers use hader. Put him in for an inning or maybe more when the games on the line. Both are big lefties with tons of Ks and competitors.

      Reply
  2. jdgoat

    5 years ago

    Not the shoulder!

    1
    Reply
    • nymetsking

      5 years ago

      Puk no!

      Reply
      • DockEllisDee

        5 years ago

        Agh!! Nein mein Puuuuk!!

        Reply
  3. krillin89

    5 years ago

    This dude can’t catch a break

    Reply
  4. worthington

    5 years ago

    A’s always seem to have injuries to their young pitchers.

    Reply
  5. soylent pumpsie green

    5 years ago

    The Puk stops h…no, I can’t do it.

    2
    Reply
    • Moneyballer

      5 years ago

      here (I can)

      Reply
  6. dynamite drop in monty

    5 years ago

    Who here remembers Puck from Real World ?

    4
    Reply
    • retire21

      5 years ago

      Oh yeah!

      Reply
      • dynamite drop in monty

        5 years ago

        He was the original troll.

        1
        Reply
  7. Dorothy_Mantooth

    5 years ago

    Can we please trade the Boston starting staff for Oakland’s starting staff? We’ll help pay for your new ballpark!

    1
    Reply
    • driftcat28 2

      5 years ago

      No one wants Boston’s starting staff. A’s are better off with no one rather than Boston’s pitching

      1
      Reply
  8. 8

    5 years ago

    The next Brett Anderson

    1
    Reply
  9. Strike Four

    5 years ago

    After all the injuries over the last bunch of years, the A’s really do deserve to get 140 games started out of Luzardo, Puk, Fiers, Montas and Manaea this year.

    Reply
    • Priggs89

      5 years ago

      Montas doesn’t deserve anything

      Reply
      • sacball

        5 years ago

        why? because he mistakenly took ED pills from a gas station?

        Reply
  10. statman

    5 years ago

    Wonder if Fiers will tell on Montas cheating with PEDS!!!

    1
    Reply
    • pileofsandwich

      5 years ago

      What’s to tell? He did it, got caught, got punished and then served that punishment. But hey I guess not everyone can cheat and get off scot free like some other AL West players.

      3
      Reply
    • drgntrnr

      5 years ago

      He already got suspended and served his time for that. Which is infinitely more time than the cheating Astros players got.

      3
      Reply
  11. TrumpCard

    5 years ago

    A’s being A’s. No more than pure BS. Puk is fine, he’s 24 for Christ sake! Put the damn kid in and tell him to throw his guts out. Tired of this……what happened to the bull dogs of MLB? He’s on a pitch count, he’s on an innings count. Can i be on an hours count at work, i tweaked my thumb.

    Reply
    • mlbaccount

      5 years ago

      Somebody call the whaaaaaambulance

      6
      Reply
    • drgntrnr

      5 years ago

      Guys started getting paid millions, and medical technology found how to best prevent long term injuries by not having guys “throw their guts out” because that’s how guys blew their arms out in the past.

      2
      Reply
      • Vizionaire

        5 years ago

        in the long past most high school pitchers threw mostly fastballs. even in pros. but times have changed and hitters will be able to hit no matter how fast one throws fastballs.these days even in pony baseball kids throw breaking balls. therein lies increased doctor fees.

        1
        Reply
        • antibelt

          5 years ago

          No, it’s them pitching year round while their arm is developing. Increases chances of tendinitis in the elbow and shoulder, and bigger issues down the road.

          Reply
    • dynamite drop in monty

      5 years ago

      I don’t know, do you have a 20 million other people who can and would gladly do your job?

      Or are you one of the elite at your profession, and are one of maybe less than 1% of the population who can reach that strata of professional baseball?

      Oh.

      Reply
    • Moneyballer

      5 years ago

      You cannot, you have to suit up for oakland and go throw 250 innings. Best of luck.

      1
      Reply
    • Buzz Saw

      5 years ago

      Easy grandpa

      Reply
  12. metsfan68

    5 years ago

    You have to be puk-ing kidding me..

    1
    Reply
  13. Vizionaire

    5 years ago

    if he played for the angels there would be 100’s of trolls on this.

    4
    Reply
    • sacball

      5 years ago

      the A’s didn’t attempt to patch up their rotation with DFA’s and potential DFA’s and impulse buy a 3B with the hopes of making up 25 games in the standings…

      1
      Reply
  14. julyn82001

    5 years ago

    Puk is talented. If he is not ready, there are plenty of options behind A.J.

    Billy Beane and co., always find ways to be creative…

    Reply
    • Moneyballer

      5 years ago

      It’s time for him to be ready. This ship is long overdue.

      Reply
  15. CCCTL

    5 years ago

    ElAttrache’s report: nothing wrong, no structural damage.

    Team deciding whether he throws tomorrow, saturday, or sunday bullpen.

    Reply
  16. rycm131

    5 years ago

    Had a Dream that Puk was really discouraged and I told him he throws gas and he’ll be fine. He walked away happy. Hope this is an omen of things to come

    Reply

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