Oakland A’s injury update: Sean Manaea has optimistic prognosis after surgery

Last week we found out that Oakland A’s pitcher Sean Manaea would be undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome shoulder. The operation finally took place on Wednesday, and there are now updates on his condition and prognosis.

First, from the team’s press release Wednesday night:

Manaea underwent successful left shoulder arthroscopic surgery today. Dr. Neil ElAttrache performed a subacromial decompression, acromioplasty and posterior labral repair at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. The left-hander will begin his rehab on Monday in Arizona.

I’m not gonna lie, I don’t know what a lot of those words mean. I do have access to Google, though, so here’s my best attempt at a summary:

• The subacromial decompression relieves a shoulder impingement (bones and tendons rubbing together painfully).
• The acromioplasty usually removes a small piece of the acromion bone that’s in contact with a tendon.
• The posterior labral repair simply involves the labrum, which is a body part that baseball fans have probably heard of before.

One way or other, the reports afterward were as optimistic as could be hoped. Here’s a quick roundup, in the form of some tweets.

You know you’re having a tough conversation when it begins with an assurance that the guy will probably play again at all. That’s the nature of shoulder surgery for a pitcher, unfortunately.

Fair enough.

Well now that’s good news. The initial concern was that he may possibly be out for all of 2019. For more details, check out Slusser’s full writeup for the S.F. Chronicle.

One note that Athletics Nation will find interesting: “Manaea, Paparesta said, was dealing with chronic shoulder impingement for two years, worsening to the point where he couldn’t pitch without pain,” reports insider Jane Lee. After watching the lefty’s velocity decline over the last couple seasons, from the mid-90s down to sometimes the high-80s, it was fair to wonder whether there was any physical/injury cause behind it.

Meanwhile, fellow pitcher Trevor Cahill is scheduled to start on Sunday, reports insider Jane Lee. Cahill didn’t officially go on the disabled list, but he missed his last start with a minor back problem.

Summary of MLB disabled list:

• Blackburn: resumed throwing
• Smolinski: likely out for season
• Cotton: out for season, and likely beginning of 2019 (TJS)
• Manaea: out for season, and at least some of 2019 (shoulder surgery)
• Triggs: out for season, and presumably most or all of 2019 (thoracic outlet)
• Graveman: out for season, and likely all of 2019 (TJS)
• Gossett: out for season, and likely all of 2019 (TJS)

Best of luck to all the injured A’s in their recoveries!