Pitchers and catchers have arrived at the Orioles’ training camp today, but unfortunately, there is bad news for O’s fans. General manager Mike Elias informed the team’s beat writers this morning that right-handed pitcher Kyle Bradish has been diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He has already received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will begin a gradual throwing program tomorrow, but he will not be able to participate in the season opener.
Elias also disclosed that Gunnar Henderson is experiencing a delay in his training due to an oblique injury, which will require an additional two to three weeks of rest. However, the team is not overly concerned about him missing significant playing time. On the other hand, top catching prospect Samuel Basallo has a stress fracture in his throwing elbow and will be limited to designated hitter duties during camp. It is expected that he will be able to resume throwing by late April. In another injury update, left-handed pitcher John Means is approximately one month behind the rest of the Orioles’ starting pitchers. The team had him postpone the start of his offseason program after an elbow issue prior to last year’s ALDS.
The injury to Bradish is a devastating blow for the reigning AL East champions, as he emerged as their top starting pitcher last season. The 27-year-old right-hander made 30 starts and pitched 168 2/3 innings with an impressive 2.83 ERA, a 25% strikeout rate, a 6.6% walk rate, and a 49.2% ground-ball rate. He was expected to be the team’s number two starter behind newly acquired ace Corbin Burnes, but that plan has been derailed.
According to Elias, Bradish sustained the injury while throwing in January. The general manager remains optimistic, stating that everything is moving in the right direction for the talented pitcher.
However, any ulnar collateral ligament injury for a pitcher is cause for concern and caution, considering the potential need for Tommy John surgery. The Orioles have not mentioned the possibility of surgery at this time, but a sprain does involve some degree of tearing in the ligament. While some pitchers have managed to avoid surgery with a UCL sprain in recent years, the majority of these injuries eventually require surgical intervention. It remains to be seen whether Bradish will be able to recover without undergoing the knife.
More updates will be provided in the future.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com