Ryan Howard Undergoes Surgery on Torn Achilles Tendon
By Editorial Staff
Ryan Howard underwent surgery Wednesday morning to repair the torn Achilles tendon in his left foot. According the Philadelphia Phillies, Howard’s procedure was a success. The club is anticipating it to take at least five to six months before Howard is back to playing at “his accustomed level” for the Phillies.
Howard ruptured his Achilles during the last play of the NLDS. With two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Howard sent a ground ball to the right side of the Cardinals infield. Immediately after taking his swing, it was evident something was wrong with Howard. The first baseman limped toward first base, but ultimately collapsed a few feet away from home plate. Howard had to be helped off the field as St. Louis began celebrating their series win.
Even with the surgery completed, a cloud of uncertainty hovers around Howard. Depending on how the slugger responds to recovery will determine how fast he’s able to return for the Phillies. Philadelphia is holding out hope that Howard will be available for the 2012 opener, but there is very real chance that he could miss the beginning of next season.
Howard will be immobilized for a week or two before he is able to begin putting weight on his foot. A platelet-rich injection was administered to Howard to help with his recovery process.
Needless to say, Howard’s loss would be a significant blow to the Phillies offense. Over his career, Howard has proven to be one of the premier run producers in the Majors. Though his numbers were down a bit in 2011, Howard was still able to hit at a clip of .253/.346/.488 with 30 doubles, 33 home runs and 116 RBI’s.
If Howard were to miss the beginning of the 2012 season, Philadelphia could turn to John Mayberry Jr. as a fill-in at first base. Though he’s no Howard, Mayberry did show promise during the second half of the season, finishing the year with a line of .273/.341/.513.
For more on the Phillies, be sure to check out That Balls Outta Here.