Justin Duchscherer To Undergo Elbow Surgery
March 27, 2009 by Stephen Kersey
Filed under Baseball
Justin Duchscherer, twice an All-Star for the Oakland Athletics, will miss at least a month after it was announced that he will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery. The exact date and location of the surgery hasn’t been finalized but the pitcher is expected to have the procedure at some point next week.
Justin Duchscherer, Oakland A's (Image: Newscom)
Following the surgery, the A’s will have a better idea of how long Duchscherer will be sidelined. Insiders close to the team don’t expect Duchscherer to return until at least the middle of May. However, if the arthroscopic procedure finds more damage than expected, it’s very possible for him to be out the rest of the season.
The 31-year-old from South Dakota is coming off of his best season in the big leagues. For the first time, he was a full-time starter and finished the year with a 10-8 record and a 2.54 ERA. For his career, the right-hander has a 3.14 ERA in 219 appearances.
If the A’s lose Duchscherer for an extended amount of time, their chances of making a postseason run will be greatly diminished.
