OAKLAND – The A's received some unwelcome news regarding their best pitching prospect Wednesday.
Jesús Luzardo suffered a Grade 2 strain of his latissimus dorsi muscle, the team announced, ending the prospect of him joining the MLB club in the near future.
A Wednesday MRI revealed the diagnosis. The A's said there is no timetable for his return.
A's medical update on minor league LHP Jesus Luzardo: pic.twitter.com/guIoo7kVPB— AthleticsPR (@AthleticsPR) July 4, 2019
Luzardo was pulled four innings into a Tuesday start for Triple-A Las Vegas after experiencing tightness in the latissimus dorsi, a muscle that extends down the side of the back.
A Grade 2 strain is considered moderate on a three-point scale. According to an injury glossary on the MLB website, Grade 2 latissimus dorsi strains usually take a month of recovery at least.
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That's surely disappointing for player and team, especially considering the possibility the left-hander could have joined Oakland's rotation in the near future.
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Baseball America ranked him the No. 7 overall prospect this spring, and he could've started this season with the A's if not for a strained shoulder.
That ailment slowed his rapid ascent. This new, unrelated injury setback is another blow that will postpone his impact on the MLB club further into the future.
