» A’S PRIZED PROSPECT TO HAVE SURGERY
SAN FRANCISCO — As manager Bob Melvin and general manager Billy Beane put the finishing touches on a roster for Opening Day, the A’s organization Tuesday was hit with the news that prized left-handed prospect A.J. Puk is facing season-ending “Tommy John” ligament replacement surgery.
Puk, 22, was originally checked out by an orthopedic surgeon in Arizona, and then to Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion.
The A’s issued a release confirming the diagnosis in the second inning of Game 3 of the Bay Bridge Series at AT&T Park, a game eventually won by the Giants 3-0.
“First and foremost, you feel sorry for him,” Melvin said. “He’s a young guy. Typically when these things happen these guys come back as strong if not stronger than ever. I know he’s going to work hard to get back.”
Although Puk wasn’t necessarily being considered for the major league club out of spring training, the A’s rotation has already lost two projected starters. Jharel Cotton had Tommy John surgery and is out for the year, and right-hander Paul Blackburn is out indefinitely with forearm tightness.
Puk was cruising along in spring training with a 1-1 record and a 3.38 earned run average that suggested he could be fast-tracked to the big club if need be. Then on March 15, Puk had a sudden and suspicious drop in velocity, going from the mid-90s to the low 90s on March 15.
“We knew something was wrong with some of the (velocity), then after his last outing he was complaining a little bit of some tightness, was a little bit worse the next day,” Melvin said. “Obviously we did a lot of work in trying to find out what’s the proper thing to do and come to the conclusion we did.”
Puk was reassigned to the minor league camp on March 18 as the A’s worked toward a diagnosis.
There were hints Puk’s injury was serious in the hours before the game when Jon Heyman at FanRagsports.com reported the pitcher was dealing with an elbow problem that had the organization concerned.
The only previous report on Puk’s condition came from the San Francisco Chronicle, which reported “biceps soreness.” Melvin said the tightness originated with the biceps and moved to the forearm.
With his velocity, arm action and high strikeout totals, Puk has elicited admittedly lofty comparisons to Hall of Famer Randy Johnson.
The No. 6 overall pick out of Florida in the 2016 major league draft, Puk was 6-10 last season with a 4.03 earned run average splitting the season between Class A Stockton and Class AA Midland.
While the record and the ERA were soso, Puk had an eye-opening 184 strikeouts in 125 innings at the two stops.
— Melvin said he knows his team for the most part, but that no announcements about the makeup of the roster would be forthcoming until Wednesday.
— Trevor Cahill, signed March 19 after Cotton went on the disabled list, threw three shutout innings with 32 strikes in 47 pitches. He walked none and struck out four. Melvin said Cahill will next throw a simulated game at the minor league complex and then have two starts at Class AAA Nashville with the chance at a potential starting role down the road.
— Starter Andrew Triggs surrendered an RBI ground out to Brandon Belt in the first and a two-run single to Austin Jackson in the third. He threw 63 pitches, 39 of them strikes, with a walk and six strikeouts. He gave up five hits and three earned runs with a walk and six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.