OAKLAND -- Chris Bassitt has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, putting the rest of the season in jeopardy for the A's right-hander.
Any damage to the UCL for a pitcher means Tommy John surgery is a possibility, and A's manager Bob Melvin acknowledged as much regarding Bassitt, who got an MRI on Friday after diminished velocity contributed to back-to-back poor outings. Bassitt revealed after his last outing that he'd been pitching through elbow discomfort since spring training.
Bassitt will get a second opinion from Dr. Timothy Kremchek in Cincinnati before any decision on surgery is made.
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Elsewhere on the injury front, outfielder Sam Fuld said his May 18 shoulder surgery will be season-ending. Fuld's rotator cuff and shoulder capsule both need to be repaired, and the recovery process will be roughly a year, he said. Fuld has been sidelined since injuring his shoulder while making a throw during a spring exhibition.
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Third baseman Danny Valencia (strained left hamstring) will play three rehab games before rejoining the big league club, Melvin said. Valencia is eligible to come off the DL on Friday, and he said he thinks he'll be ready by then.
