A's closer Sean Doolittle has a slight rotator cuff tear in his throwing shoulder and will miss the start of the regular season.
That announcement was made via e-mail by A's assistant GM David Forst.
Doolittle, an All-Star last season, first felt soreness after starting his offseason throwing program in December. When his shoulder didn't get better after a few throwing sessions, he was examined by Phoenix-based orthopedist Dr. Doug Freedberg and the A's had him undergo an MRI, which revealed the tear.
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Doolittle received a platelet-rich plasma injection last Friday in an effort to relieve the inflammation in his shoulder. Forst said Doolittle won't begin any rehab until the swelling is gone, so there's no timetable for when he might return right now.
The A's recently acquired Tyler Clippard from Washington, and he's a temporary closer option along with Ryan Cook and Dan Otero.
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