Los Angeles Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney has started just one game this season, and a report Friday suggests his availability for the remainder of the 2016 campaign could be in jeopardy.
Continue for updates.
Report: Heaney Attempting to Avoid Season-Ending Surgery
Friday, May 6
According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, multiple sources said Heaney has damage to the UCL in his elbow, which is an injury that could require season-ending Tommy John surgery. Heaney is “rehabbing with hopes of avoiding Tommy John,” per Passan.
“Opting for conservative care like other pitchers have done,” Angels general manager Billy Eppler said, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
The 24-year-old lefty has been on the disabled list for much of the season with a strained flexor muscle, but Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reported on April 25 that the team was happy with his progress:
Based on Passan’s report, however, there is a chance the Angels may be forced to carry on without Heaney for the rest of the season.
That possibility is made even worse by the fact Passan also reported Angels ace Garrett Richards is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Heaney is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA on the season after impressing to the tune of a 6-4 mark with a 3.49 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 105.2 innings in 2015.
The Angels acquired Heaney in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 that sent second baseman Howie Kendrick to the National League.
While the Oklahoma City native was seemingly developing into a reliable, middle-of-the-rotation starter, the Angels are now left searching for answers.
With Heaney, Richards and C.J. Wilson all on the shelf, L.A. must find some starting options in the minors to go along with Jered Weaver, Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano.
Although the Angels are just four games out of first place in the AL West, they have struggled to the tune of a 13-15 record, and digging out of that hole will be extremely difficult without many quality arms at their disposal.
If Heaney is out for an extended period of time or perhaps even the entire season, Los Angeles’ only hope of keeping pace in the division may be executing a trade for a replacement starter.
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