Soriano out at least six weeks with inflamed elbow ligament

May 25, 2011 by Mike Axisa 37 Comments

Update (4:36pm): They just showed Cashman speaking on YES, and he clarified that Soriano would begin throwing to hitters in four-to-six weeks following the two weeks of rest, so two months sounds like a decent estimate of how long he’ll be out. Dr. James Andrews diagnosed an inflamed elbow ligament and is optimistic that the rest and rehab approach will knock this out. Andrews did Soriano’s Tommy John surgery back in the day, by the way.

Original Post (4:16pm): Via Conor Orr, Rafael Soriano will be out at least four-to-six weeks with an elbow issue. No word if it’s a ligament, tendon, muscle, or something else entirely. Brian Cashman confirmed that the right-hander will rest for two weeks before he can begin a “conservative” throwing program, which will lead to a four-to-six week rehab program. Sounds like he’ll be out for two months, essentially.

X-62

That’s good I was kind of fearful of TJ surgery.
bonestock94

That’s actually positive…if he comes back effective.
http://twitter.com/Carlosological Carlosologist

Could be much worse. At least we know he might come back this year.
MannyGeee

4 to 6 weeks? sounds like a bruised vag to me.

$35M? rub some dirt on it and get out there….
- http://twitter.com/#!/billreichmann breich315
  
  /Rob Dibble’d ?
Klemy

Opt out at the end of the season? Thinking not…
- bonestock94
  
  Nope, that contract can never benefit the Yankees. It makes them pay more for him if he’s phenomenally good, or pay the whole contract if he sucks/is injured.
  - Urban
    
    No. It can benefit the Yankees if he’s great and then opts out. My guess is he won’t opt out until after 2012, but if he comes back strong and is lights out, there is a possibility he could after this season. There are a number of relievers on the market, though, so my guess is he’ll wait until end of 2012…or never, if he sucks.
    - bonestock94
      
      The Yankees bullpen gets worse or they give Soriano a bigger contract.
      - Ted Nelson
        
        Or they have an internal option (besides their relief prospects, not all their starting prospects will be MLB starters…), let him walk, and the bullpen is just as good. Or they sign someone else for less money and their pen is just as good. Or they trade for someone and their pen is just as good.
        
        bonestock94
        
        Those options were present this offseason, yet Levine went over Cashman’s head and made sure Soriano was signed. What makes you think they would have passed on him after having a successful season in pinstripes? Obviously this scenario is unlikely now, just saying…
  - Adam B
    
    yea they wanted to get the draft picks back without having to offer arb… I understand the intention but they got way too cute with this one… There were other guys available they could have signed for much less.
    - bonestock94
      
      Maybe, it seems like a questionable thing to bank on considering the upcoming CBA though.
Kevin M.

TJ is still going to be a possibility if the conservative route fails. He’s obviously got a pretty major long term issue with his elbow.
ike

cashman must be furious. this is gonna be one of the worst contracts ever written up. there was never an upside for they yankees, with all the opt out clauses. Guy had history of arm trouble, and is known to have clubhouse issues. Worst of it all cashman and co lost a 1st rd pick
- Ted Nelson
  
  The 1st round pick is probably actually the least of it all… though the injury history is also in the running.
- Evan3457
  
  To Tampa.
Rey22

Meh, if he comes back and pitches strong in the playoffs (big if) I’ll forgive him Damaso Marte style.
Gonzo

It could be worse. He could be going to Japan to get treated there.
- David
  
  Maybe Colon’s doctor could fix him with the stem cell thing.
  
  The more we get out of colon, the better.
  If we get a healthy Sori, great, and if not, sori comes out of Colon Treatment, it proves he’s a piece of … uh .. ‘work’
  - Levi
    
    In my experience, it’s best to keep Colon Treatment out of the public eye.
    
    …Sorry, had to.
    - Mickey Scheister
      
      Colon treatment out of the public eye means less pink eye for planet Earth.
YanksFan in MA

Now granted the Yankees would have to make the playoffs for this to be beneficial, but it would be nice to have a fresh arm at the end of the pen. Chances are Joba and Robertson would be toast by the playoffs anyway. Now they will prob be corpses. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Noesi stick all season now. They will need some innings soakers.
Clay Bellinger

All things considered, this has to be just about best case scenario after a trip down to Andrews.
Reggie C.

Does this news all but guarantee that Cash will be looking to add a pen arm at the deadline? Is there a Kerry Wood to be found in this year’s crop of trade candidates?
- radnom
  
  Does this news all but guarantee that Cash will be looking to add a pen arm at the deadline?
  
  No, depends how Soriano’s recovery goes. If looking like hes about to come back strong in 2 months that is a million times better than anyone who might be available at that time.
  - Anchen
    
    There are some possible internal options. Also if Hughes’ rehab goes well and the rotation is intact still, Hughes might be tried out in the bullpen initially. Not sure if I would be happy about that since I like his future more as a starter, but it is a possibility.
    - Ted Nelson
      
      Agreed. Ayala, Pendleton, and Noesi (and even Carlyle) have looked good in small, mostly low-leverage samples. Plus Soriano/Feliciano/Marte getting healthy as radnom mentions, and Hughes/Nova/whoever exits the rotation if Hughes enters. Plus all the relief and starting prospects in the system. I know people are paranoid after Joba, but breaking in a prospect in the bullpen late in the season can be a good thing. Any of Phelps, Warren, Manny, Dellin, even Brackman or Mitchell could possibly help in the pen and get a chance to start to prove whether they’re ready to get MLB hitters out.
- Rey22
  
  He could always trade for…Kerry Wood again. I think he’s signed to a cheap one year deal. He’s already been to NY, can’t see why he wouldn’t at least consider it.
  - Adam B
    
    that was a shame… Dude wanted to pitch for the cubs more than money… more power to him.
Don Juan

He could be a good boost to the pen if he can come back effective in 8 weeks. If Hughes comes back he’ll be in the pen unless a starter gets injured. For now let’s give Ayala and Noesi a shot at the 3rd and 4th set up guys.
M-Three

I don’t want to see Ayala in late, close game situations. From what I have seen Ayala looks like one of those guys who does well when the pressure is off, but then when he comes into a game up by 3 runs or less will melt. I think he will turn into how Chan Ho Park was for us last year. Plus, Ayala has always been a guy that give up alot more hits than innings pitched and thats usually not a good sign for relievers.

The guy that I want to see become that 3rd set-up option is Noesi. He throws striked consistly with good comand of all 4 pitches, is capable of throwing in the mid-90’s and seems to have alot of confidence on the mound. The role that I think would be great for him is being a 2 inning guy. To Joba and D-Rob from getting burned out use Noesi on some night in the 6th & 7th or 7th or 8th. I really believe he will be a better option than Ayala.
- Ted Nelson
  
  What exactly have you “seen” that leads you to believe Ayala can get MLB hitters out in low pressure situations and not high pressure situations?
Accent Shallow

I was under the impression Soriano had had two Ttommy John surgeries, so if anything was torn this time, he was done.

Or I could be confusing him with someone else.
- http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
  
  He had TJS and then he had surgery to move the nerve in his elbow. That’s what baseballinjurytool.com had before the site closed.
Will

Wait, so according to this headline, his performance has been so poor that his *elbow* has become infamous? I’m surprised that’s a valid medical condition to land someone on the DL.
M-Three

I have seen Ayala pitch in high pressure spots as a 7th inning guy, set-up man and closer and each time he has been a complete bust. Whether its was with the Mets, Twin or Marlins (I am pretty sure he pitched there) Ayala has pitched horribly ever since his first 2 years with the Expos/Nationals.

Every spot the guy has pitched in for us has been when we are either up or down by 4 or more runs. Also, he has 3 qualities that I am not a fan of: 1. doesn’t throw hard, 2. doesn’t have that 1 big out pitch and 3. always gives up more hits than innings pitched. I have no faith in this guy getting outs in in the 6th, 7th or 8th inning of games we have a lead of 3 runs or less. I have never nor will never be a fan of Ayala. As I have stated before, this guy will be a failure in late, close game situations just like Chan Ho Park and Buddy Carlyle were when Girardi tried to put them in those situation.