The Athletics have a ton of problems, as Craig mentioned this morning, but one of the most critical on-the-field aspects is the long-term prognosis for Brett Anderson.
Anderson underwent an MRI earlier this week after he was placed on the disabled list with left elbow soreness. The A’s haven’t disclosed the results of the exam, but Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the southpaw is now scheduled to receive a second opinion Monday from Dr. James Andrews.
As I wrote in this space the other day, a visit to Dr. Andrews doesn’t always result in surgery, but remember that Anderson was sidelined twice last season with left elbow inflammation. While the Athletics dodged a bullet last year, they might not be so fortunate this time around.
Anderson, 23, has a 3.66 ERA over his first 62 starts in the big leagues. He is 3-6 with a 4.00 ERA and 61/25 K/BB ratio over his first 13 starts this season.