Kirby Yates gave an upbeat account of his recent elbow surgery this week, and explained the pain that led him to opt to go under the knife.
After the San Diego Padres closer had two bone chips removed, he told the media, “everything went really smooth. Everything was very positive.”
He had suffered early this year, he said, and the pain “progressively got worse.” His stats showed the effects, as he posted a bloated ERA – above 12 – and only two saves.
He had a career year last year with 41 saves.
Yates, 33, who once underwent Tommy John surgery, admitted the overall condition of his arm had been on his mind. But then his doctor reassured him after the operation.
“He really, really liked the way my elbow looked as a whole. That’s a positive for me,” Yates said. “You know, you go in there, 14 years off a Tommy John, you’re, you know a little nervous about what they see, what they might find.”
Yates could be out of commission up to to eight weeks, and told MLB.com there’s a slim chance he could return this year, should the Padres make it to the playoffs.
“Obviously, time is not on our side,” Yates said. “First step is, I’ve got to get back to playing catch. It’s a matter of how soon I can get back to throwing.”
– Staff reports