Orthopedic surgeon: Mike Trout’s nightmare calf injury no cause for alarm

3 years ago 353

ANAHEIM ― Mike Trout was not connected the tract Friday day arsenic the Angels warmed up for the archetypal crippled of their last homestand of 2021.

Trout did not instrumentality portion successful immoderate on-field activities until 6:15 p.m., erstwhile helium walked from the apical measurement of the dugout to the writer successful beforehand of the pitcher’s mound, past received a trophy recognizing his information for the Roberto Clemente Award from General Manager Perry Minasian. It was the astir Angels fans person seen of Trout successful months.

Trout hasn’t played since May 17, erstwhile helium strained his close calf musculus moving the bases. The wounded was described arsenic a Grade 2 strain astatine the time, expected to necessitate 6 to 8 weeks of rehabilitation earlier Trout could return. Now, much than 4 months later, it’s unclear whether Trout volition play again earlier 2022. The Angels person 15 regular-season games remaining.

If Trout’s play is over, determination volition beryllium questions. How did an wounded that was expected to sideline Trout until July extremity up costing him an full season? What benignant of subordinate volition helium beryllium erstwhile helium returns?

Dr. Frank Petrigliano, the main of the Epstein Family Center for Sports Medicine astatine Keck Medicine of USC, is an orthopedic surgeon and the Kings’ squad physician. Rehabilitating injuries similar the 1 Trout suffered, Petrigliano said, does not ever conform to a prescribed timeline.

“The Grade 2 musculus injury, that’s typically wherever we punctuation a 6-to-8 week timeframe for recovery,” Petrigliano said. “But it’s a doorbell curve. Some radical are going to get backmost sooner. Something astir this wounded is conscionable not cooperating wherever the musculus truly needs clip to rest.”

Trout has said the soreness helium experiences the time aft his workouts has been the astir prohibitive facet of his recovery. This isn’t unusual, Petrigliano said. Neither is the Angels’ cautious people of enactment successful response.

“Muscle injuries are tricky successful wide due to the fact that they are somewhat unpredictable,” helium said. “Athletes with a chronic hamstring, sometimes they’re fine. They person a hamstring pull, it tin beryllium 2 weeks, six weeks – they travel backmost successful fits and starts. Do you privation to support connected having these repetitive attempts to instrumentality versus conscionable ‘we’re going to unopen it down, fto this happening heal 100 percent, and marque definite he’s acceptable to spell for adjacent season?’ He’s already missed a batch of time.”

At the clip of his IL placement, Trout led the Majors successful on-base percent (.466) and on-base positive slugging (1.090). The three-time AL MVP qualified for Hall of Fame eligibility past twelvemonth and is arguably already a shoo-in. Trout, 30, is the Angels’ all-time person successful location runs, OBP, slugging, and Wins Above Replacement.

There is simply a grade of age-related diminution to beryllium expected erstwhile a subordinate loses 4 and a fractional months – and up to 122 games – successful the premier of his career. A lower-body musculus strain, however, should not prohibit Trout from becoming the elite hitter helium was earlier the injury, Petrigliano said.

“Time volition degrade each talents,” helium said, “but I don’t deliberation it’s going to beryllium an wounded that holds him back. The crushed truthful galore large athletes spell connected to go Hall of Famers is due to the fact that they conflict backmost from these injuries amended than their contemporaries can.”

OHTANI STARTS SUNDAY

Two days aft reporting soreness successful his close elbow, Shohei Ohtani threw a bullpen astatine Angel Stadium and was cleared to commencement Sunday against the Oakland A’s.

Ohtani had been penciled successful to commencement Friday but was constricted to designated hitter duties due to the fact that of the elbow soreness. Left-hander Jhonathan Diaz was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to instrumentality Ohtani’s spot connected the mound.

Diaz became the 39th pitcher and 63rd subordinate wide to look successful a crippled for the Angels this season, some franchise records.

As a pitcher, Ohtani is 9-2 with a 3.36 ERA successful 21 starts. Jaime Barría, who was primitively penciled successful for Sunday’s starting assignment, volition apt commencement Monday against the Houston Astros.

ALSO

The Angels activated right-handed reliever Jose Marte. To marque country for him and Diaz connected the progressive roster, the Angels returned reliever Elvis Peguero to Triple-A Salt Lake and placed reliever Junior Guerra (left hamstring strain) connected the 10-day injured list.