SEPT. 18: The A’s are optimistic Puk, who underwent a debridement and cleanout of his shoulder, will be ready for spring training next year, Slusser tweets. He could start throwing again in 10 weeks.
SEPT. 11: Athletics left-hander A.J. Puk will undergo shoulder surgery next week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
A healthy Puk is regarded as one of the majors’ premier pitching prospects, but he has had a hard time staying off the shelf in recent years. The 2016 first-round pick (No. 6 overall) underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018, forcing him to miss all of that season and most of last year, and hasn’t pitched at all in 2020 as a result of shoulder troubles. Now that he’s going back under the knife, his season’s obviously over.
It’s unclear whether this latest surgery will be serious enough to affect Puk’s availability for 2021, but the hope is that he’ll make it back to the mound in relatively short order and realize his potential. The 25-year-old was terrific during an 11 1/3-inning debut out of the A’s bullpen last year, when he averaged 97 mph on his fastball, gave up four earned runs on 10 hits and five walks, and amassed 13 strikeouts. In the wake of that showing, Puk seemed to be in line for a season-opening rotation spot heading into this year, but the shoulder issues he has battled since the spring prevented that from happening and stopped him from taking the mound at all in 2020.
Well Puk.
quality comment
Ahh Puk
They should go pick up their former #1 pick Billy McKinney off waivers.
Only if he can pitch
Addison Russell too
Lol. Russell fits in perfectly with the Astros! He can talk to osuna
Dude, you can’t say his name around here! You’ll get this thread closed.
Same here. I got an X-ray a week and a half ago, and went in earlier today to get an MRI on my elbow. I have a follow up in a few days. Being injured sucks. It doesn’t hurt right now, but it still sucks.
Well then I guess it’s time to drop you from my fantasy team
As far as the MLB Trade Rumors fantasy team, Rangers29 would be on mine. Lots of quality comments and participation in the chats. Hope you recover quickly!
Then I’ll take WarkMohlers cuz he is killing this thread already! lol
Thank you, truly an honor.
With the second pick I’ll take Xabial, and if not him, I’ll select that guy that said baseball won’t survive the pandemic and everyone is racist.
Everyone needs a Milton Bradley type on their team.
Well since I can’t choose myself, my first pick will go to Darkside. Everybody needs a daily, consistent producer on their team.
I feel like Darkside is Munenori Kawasaki without the humor.
With that said, I select Briffle with my next pick.
The next Andrew Miller.
This really makes you feel that you could Puk at any moment
Well I was not happy that the Brewers drafted Cory Ray and didn’t get Puk or Gromme (one of them went before their selection). All 3 haven’t done anything
Puk and Groome were after Ray. I’d rather have any of those three than Riley Pint or Moniak, both of whom went before Ray.
Puk needs the time off just to grow into his body. It seems (at least my gut thinks this) that pitchers over 6’5” with a slender build rarely make an impact before age 25 if they make it at all.
His arm is going to literally fall off. What a terrible string of injuries.
Injuries are part of the game. Pitchers are fragile. Most prospects are busts.
Todd van Poppel anyone lol. It’s too bad because he’s a great talent
Todd Van Poppel didn’t have an injury history. He had a straight fastball and no secondary pitch.
Manaea had shoulder injury and hes come bwck fairly well. Although manaea back in college and in minors had a mid to upper 90s fastball and velocity has diminished due to injuries over the years.on a good day he may top out 92-94 mph on rare ocaasions. Puk i have feeling will end up a reliever. Although same can be said of their other sp prospects like jeffries, holmes, kaprelian eho all have had past injury setbacks in minors
The level and type of shoulder surgery here is key, but not reported yet. Arthroscopic is one thing, open shoulder another. A clean up is minor as these things go, but repairing a slap tear would be major and career altering. I’m sure we’ll hear more about the type of surgery, but hopefully it’s of the less severe variety and he’s back for 2021.
…and it seems the type of surgery leaned more toward the former, which is ‘good’ news as far as these things go.
Puk!
Puk is having a Matt Harvey type career except without any of the success.
Puk always up to mischief. Better off going with Caliban.