We’ve all heard from the Twins that Francisco Liriano is considering surgery to repair his injured elbow. Let’s take a closer look at this…
The Minnesota Twins’ rookie pitcher played a key role in the team’s meteoric return to the top of the AL Central before being forced to leave the team this season with an arm injury.
The Twins say Liriano left the team’s Fort Myers training facility in Florida to meet with an elbow specialist in Miami. He will make the decision to have the surgery in the next week or so. Liriano just returned to Fort Myers for rehab right after the Twins were swept by the Oakland Athletics in the American League Division Series. The team hoped that Lirianao would have had time to fully recover in February. Twins general manager Terry Ryan claimed the player was genuinely frustrated about having to undergo potential surgery.
Liriano, 22, was 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA this season. He was considered the favorite to be chosen for the American League Rookie of the Year award before the injury. After some difficulties in an August. Seventh start against Detroit, Liriano was forced to leave the game with elbow pain. After this game, he spent a short time in rehab before returning to the field in the September 13 game against the A’s. Although he showed great play, he was forced to leave the game early yet again with elbow pain. As a result, Liriano did not pitch again in 2006.
Liriano has been diagnosed with a slight sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament. The team doctors hope this injury will clear up with rest and rehabilitation. However, the recovery seems to take longer than expected, forcing Liriano to consider surgery. According to there are few details about the type of surgery he would undergo. In fact, it has yet to be determined whether he will undergo Tommy John surgery, which would sideline Liriano for all of next season, or just an exploratory operation. More details will surely be revealed after the player has met with the specialist from Miami.
