Juan

Lara

Lara, who did a nice job for the Indians last September in his only previous major league experience, had a 3.88 ERA for Triple-A Buffalo. He’s not an option as a specialist, so he’ll mostly work when the Indians are losing.

Lara had the operations two days after being moved from the Dominican Republic to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The Indians said after he’s released from the Clinic he will return to the Dominican Republic for treatment. It’s unclear when that might happen.

None of his other injuries have improved, Dashira Martinez said. Lara has been in critical condition since suffering major injuries in a car accident a week and a half ago.

“Juan’s condition is very fragile. In the last medical report we found that he has a severe brain trauma, and we also found a fracture in the spinal column, with the D2 (second vertebra) in an unstable condition,” hospital spokeswoman Dashira Martinez told The Associated Press. It’s as of yet unknown whether Lara will suffer from paralysis if he pulls through.

A blood clot in his head is what doctors are focusing on right now. It’s currently too risky to transport him to the U.S. for surgery, though that could happen at some point. Doctors are optimistic that he’ll survive, and there’s been no sign of paralysis so far, though Lara has been kept heavily sedated in order to prevent him from moving.

Lara has a perforated lung and a blood clot from the head injury. He is breathing with help from a ventilator. “The prognosis for Juan is day to day for the moment,” said Jose Mallen, the president of Lara’s winter league team in the Dominican Republic. “The doctors say they have to see what develops with the blood clot. Otherwise they would have to operate on it.” It’s possible that Lara will be transported to the U.S. for surgery.

Lara suffered what an Indians spokesman called “life-threatening injuries” when the car he was in was struck by a motorcycle at an intersection. The two riders on the motorcycle were killed instantly. “We are monitoring the situation closely,” GM Mark Shapiro saud. “Our prayers are with Juan and his family.”

Ideally, it would have happened a day or two after the accident, but his condition never allowed it until now. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction for Juan,” Indians spokesman Bart Swain said.

Lara, 28, was involved in a near fatal car accident in the Dominican Republic in November 2007. He made one appearance for the Indians before the incident, but has been out of baseball since.

The Indians will continue to pay Lara’s medical expenses as he recovers from a near fatal accident in the Dominican Republic. It’s unclear if he’s ever going to pitch again.