Strasburg undergoes elbow surgery
September 3, 2010
PITTSBURGH (AP)—Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg(notes) had reconstructiveelbow surgery Friday that could keep him out of the starting rotation until the2012 season.
Lewis Yocum performed the procedure in Inglewood, Calif., in which a pieceof ligament was taken from the 22-year-old right-hander’s left leg andtransplanted into his pitching elbow.
The Nationals said that Strasburg will be released from the hospitalSaturday and begin rehab on Monday at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif.,near his home in San Diego.
“Everything went very smoothly and the reports were very good,” Washingtongeneral manager Mike Rizzo said Friday night, before a game against thePittsburgh Pirates.
“He’ll start his rehab in a couple of days and we’re very confident he willcome back strong from this surgery,” Rizzo added. “I really feel this is justa blip in what is going to be an outstanding career for Stephen.”
Strasburg made his much anticipated major league debut on June 8 againstPittsburgh at Washington, when he struck out 14 batters in seven innings. Hefinished with a 5-3 record and 2.91 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 92 in 68innings.
Strasburg was the first overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft from SanDiego State. He signed for a draft-record $15.1 million.
In other news, the Nationals activated right-hander Garrett Mock(notes) from the60-day disabled list Friday and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse, andtransferred left-fielder Josh Willingham(notes) from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.
Mock made just one start for the Nationals this season before going on thedisabled list April 11 because of a ruptured right cervical disc that requiredsurgery. He has made five rehabilitation starts in Washington’s farm system witha 5.40 ERA.
Willingham, who is recovering knee surgery, has been out since Aug. 16 andwill not return this season. He hit .268 with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs in 114games.
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