A’s injuries: Deolis Guerra has Tommy John surgery

Some expected injury news became official this week.

The Oakland A’s announced Wednesday afternoon that pitcher Deolis Guerra underwent successful right elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstructive surgery.

The reliever missed the Cactus League this spring due to forearm tightness, and then began the regular season on the 60-day injured list this month. It was already announced two weeks ago that he would have surgery, with the dreaded Tommy John operation seeming likely based on the clues, and indeed that proved to be the answer. More details:

The surgery was performed today at the Texas Metroplex Institute Surgical Center in Arlington, Tex. by Dr. Keith Meister. Dr. Meister performed the ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction using a palmaris longus tendon graft. The surgery went well and there were no complications.

While no timetable was announced beyond this week, there’s no question this procedure will knock Guerra out for the entire 2022 season.

It’s a tough blow for the right-hander, with his 33rd birthday approaching. He enjoyed a bounce-back campaign last summer for Oakland, reestablishing himself in the majors after a few years of struggles, and he set career-highs in several categories including appearances (53), innings (65⅔), and strikeouts (62). Along the way he served as a valuable glue guy in multiple different bullpen roles, primarily as a long man.

Athletics Nation wishes the best to Guerra in his recovery, and we hope to see him back on the Coliseum mound in 2023!

Kaprielian rehab

On a happier note, another injured A’s pitcher is taking the next step toward returning to the majors.

Starter James Kaprielian will make a rehab start for Low-A Stockton on Friday, reports Matt Kawahara of the S.F. Chronicle.

The right-hander experienced shoulder irritation in March, which was enough to set back his spring warmups and land him on the 10-day injured list to begin the season. That delay ruled him out for most of April, but he began throwing a couple weeks ago and is ready to dip his toes back into live action down on the farm.

It remains to be seen how many minor league rehab starts Kaprielian might need before rejoining Oakland’s rotation, but he’s about to get the first one out of the way.

Here’s the updated injury report:

• RHP Deolis Guerra, out for year, elbow (Tommy John surgery on 4/13)
• RHP Brent Honeywell, 60-day IL, elbow (shut down indefinitely)
• RHP James Kaprielian, 10-day IL, shoulder (out most of April; begins rehab 4/15)
• OF Cody Thomas, minors IL, Achilles (return by May?)