Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards will receive treatment on his injured right elbow in an attempt to avoid Tommy John surgery.
General manager Billy Eppler announced the news Monday, adding that Richards is receiving injections to help rehab the elbow, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register:
Fletcher also reported that Richards will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
Tommy John surgery would end Richards' season and put him in jeopardy for the 2017 campaign. The Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin is skeptical that Richards will be back in the rotation before late in the summer:
Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan noted that even if Richards is forced to get surgery, he would still have a chance to prove his worth before his contract expires:
Richards was off to a solid start this season. Although he was 1-3 after six starts, he was sporting a 2.34 ERA while averaging 8.83 strikeouts per nine innings.
The Angels are already bringing in help to try to make up for Richards' production.
The team agreed to a deal with Tim Lincecum on Monday, according to ESPN's Jim Bowden. Though Lincecum has struggled in his last few seasons, he represents a low-risk option for a team that has a large hole in its pitching staff.
The team sits at 16-21, and if it fails to get into playoff contention by the All-Star break, it may be wise to shut down Richards for the season to avoid any further damage to his elbow.
All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com.
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