Another setback for A’s pitcher Jarrod Parker
Jarrod Parker’s latest comeback attempt took another turn for the worse Thursday when the A’s pitcher walked off a back field in pain.
The A’s medical staff was confident Parker would pitch again and said the injury wasn’t as serious as last year’s at Triple-A Nashville when he sustained a fracture of the medial epicondyle area of his elbow, which followed two Tommy John surgeries.
Parker was hurt on his 12th pitch Thursday when throwing to hitters for the first time in spring training.
“The expletive he yelled out was due to the shock . . . the initiation of feeling, that extension and that grab is what got his attention, something he hadn’t felt throughout this entire process,” Paparesta said.
No big-league pitcher has recovered from a fracture to the medial epicondyle area.
“It definitely sets him back in the sense that it’s another piece of confidence he needs to build himself back into and feel better about and make sure he can deliver the baseball in the manner he needs to to be competitive,” Paparesta.
Manager Bob Melvin said Thursday morning the A’s were open to Parker either starting or relieving, though club sources said a bullpen role has been the preferred plan.
“Expectations are not in my vocabulary anymore, I just go day to day and try to be in tune, see how I feel, give what I’ve got that day and not try to reach,” Parker said recently.