A's top prospect Jesús Luzardo suffered a Grade 2 strain of his left latissimus dorsi muscle, the A's announced after he was pulled four innings into a start on Tuesday for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators after experiencing some tightness in that area.
MLB.com's Martín Gallegos reported Friday that Luzardo was given a timetable of about four-to-five weeks:
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This means he will not be in an A's uniform in the immediate future despite hope he could help the rotation sooner rather than later.
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Frankie Montas was recently suspended for 80 games when he violated MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy when he tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance under the league's joint drug agreement. Having Luzardo as a possible replacement seemed to paint a more positive outlook for the A's pitching rotation.
For now, fans will have to wait even longer for his Luzardo league debut.