Justin Upton didn’t even make it to Opening Day and now he won’t see the field until at least June. The Los Angeles Angels outfielder could miss at least 8-12 weeks after injuring his toe running into the outfield wall during a Spring Training Game Sunday.
Upton collided with the wall during an exhibition contest with the Los Angeles Dodgers while charging after a flyball.
While the wall is covered with padding, there’s a few inches off the turf that are just bare cement. Apparently that’s where Upton’s foot slammed, costing him, at best, a couple of months of baseball.
The Angels are already without the services of Shohei Ohtani until March as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
#Angels Justin Upton is out 8-12 weeks. “Can we withstand it? We have to. We have no choice,” manager Brad Ausmus said.
— Maria Torres (@maria_torres3) March 30, 2019
The good news for the Angels? They still have Mike Trout and that’s where everyone’s attention will be as the season opens.
Last year Upton, 31, signed a five-year, $106 million contract with the Angels. In 2018, he finished with a .257 batting average, a .344 on base percentage, 85 RBIs and 30 home runs.
Brewer’s Knebel to go under the knife
The season is over before it even started for Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel. The right-hander will undergo Tommy John surgery in order to fix a partially torn UCL in his right elbow.
There was a chance Knebel could have toughed it out and returned later in the season, but he told reporters Friday that surgery was the right call.
#Brewers reliever Corey Knebel has decided to have Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) March 29, 2019
“I decided to go with surgery,” Knebel said. “It’s just going to be better to do it now and come back next year.”
The arm had apparently been bothering Knebel all through Spring Training. Knebel is expected to have the surgery Wednesday, with Dr. Neal ElAttrache performing the procedure. He will rehab at the Brewers’ Maryvale, Ariz. facility.
Knebel appeared in 57 games with Milwaukee last season, recording 16 saves with a 3.58 ERA.
