Waldichuk undergoes elbow surgery, out for remainder of season
Waldichuk undergoes elbow surgery, out for remainder of season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
After another setback in his recovery from an elbow injury, Athletics pitcher Ken Waldichuk will miss the remainder of the 2024 MLB season after undergoing surgery, the team announced Thursday.
Ken Waldichuk Medical Update pic.twitter.com/F9T1gAPrM7
— Oakland A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) May 16, 2024
The young lefty had been rehabbing from an offseason procedure to remove scar tissue from his elbow after sustaining an elbow sprain in his start against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 29, 2023. Waldichuk re-injured his elbow while facing batters on April 29th and underwent a flexor tendon repair and a UCL reconstruction on Monday with renowned elbow surgeon Dr. Neil ElAttrache in Los Angeles. (h/t ESPN)
The procedure on the ulnar collateral ligament is known colloquially as “Tommy John Surgery” after it first was performed on the Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitcher in 1974.
The 26-year-old will return to Oakland to begin the rehab process again, with an eye on returning in time for the start of the 2025 MLB season.
Once a top pitching prospect, Waldichuk went 4-9 with a 5.36 ERA in 35 appearances and 22 starts with one save over 141 innings for Oakland in 2023, his first full season in the majors.
