MESA, Ariz. – A’s right-hander Jarrod Parker will have surgery on his fractured elbow April 1, although the extent of that surgery and how it impacts his baseball future remains unknown.
The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Los Angeles-based specialist who examined Parker on Tuesday. A’s manager Bob Melvin said ElAttrache may not know exactly how much needs to be done until the procedure is underway. Parker fractured the medial epicondyle in his elbow March 10, the same injury that sidelined him last May.
Melvin talked with Parker on Thursday but suggested Parker will wait until after the surgery to decide whether to attempt a comeback from yet another major elbow injury. The 27-year-old has twice undergone Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, to go along with last year’s operation for his first fracture. Should the upcoming procedure wind up involving the ligament, it would likely require an even longer recovery.
Melvin did not offer any details of his conversations with the pitcher.
“I’m just kind of there for him,” Melvin said. “He’ll open up about what he wants to do when he’s ready. I think right now it’s the surgery more on his mind than anything else. Then we’ll see where he is after they repair whatever it is they’re repairing.
“He’s fine, he’s tough. He’s trying to keep it pretty narrow in how far out he’s looking.”
Dr. James Andrews performed Parker’s previous three surgeries.
ElAttrache has performed surgeries on a wide range of athletes, including shoulder procedures on pitcher Zack Greinke and boxer Manny Pacquiao, and Achilles’ tendon surgery on Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
