Braden May Miss Season
By Editorial Staff
Oakland Athletics starter Dallas Braden will undergo shoulder surgery that could result in the pitcher missing the remainder of the 2011 season.
Braden has not pitched since an April 16th game against the Detroit Tigers. The lefty had to leave the game after throwing 5 shutout innings, complaining of shoulder tightness.
Oakland hoped to avoid surgery, but after meeting with specialists this week the decision has been made. There is no real timeline, but looking at the recovery process of similar injuries there is a chance Braden could miss the rest of this year.
After a rough first start of the season, Braden recovered to throw 11 innings of 1 run ball before his injury. He will certainly be missed, but the team currently holds the top ERA in the majors thanks in part to Braden’s replacement Tyson Ross.
Ross, who started the year in the A’s pen, has been very solid in Braden’s absence. Baseball America named the righty the team’s best pitching prospect entering this season.
Ross has only allowed 3 runs combined over his last 3 starts, lowering his season ERA to 2.51.
Though the Braden news is a blow to the team, the A’s should be able to endure the hit thanks to their bevy of young arms.