The Atlanta Braves are weighing their options as pitcher Kris Medlen deals with a right elbow injury that could cause him to miss significant time. The Braves right-hander underwent an MRI on his elbow on Monday, and the team hasn't given specific details to the injury or how long it will sideline the starter.
MLB.com reported Tuesday that Medlen's MRI showed damage around the right elbow ligament, but the team will have to wait a day or so before making a decision on where they will go from here.
The report indicates that Medlen's MRI was hard to read because he has already undergone Tommy John surgery in his career, however it is believed that the pitcher won't have to undergo another operation with this injury.
MLB.com reported that Medlen didn't speak with the media on Tuesday and left the stadium to undergo an evaluation on his elbow. It seems as though he didn't necessarily receive good news, however he can at least keep up hopes that he won't need another Tommy John operation.
Medlen departed the team's game on Sunday against the New York Mets with a strained right forearm in the fourth inning .Manager Fredi Gonzalez couldn't offer many details following the initial injury that chased Medlen from the game.
"We have to wait and see," Gonzalez told ESPN after Sunday's contest and prior to Monday's MRI. "Obviously when he came out of the game, anytime a pitcher walks off the mound and meets you at the foul line you're worried. But I think after everything kind of settled down, we're optimistic that it's nothing really major."
Medlen, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010, grabbed his arm immediately after throwing a pitch with two outs in the fourth inning.
"I talked to him 30 seconds after he came inside, after I made the pitching change," Gonzalez said via ESPN. "He wasn't in good spirits then. He was really, really worried. But after he got settled down and the trainers looked at him and Mets doctors looked at him, I think he was in better spirits. I did not talk to him after those conversations he had with the doctors and trainers, but our people told me that he was in little better spirits."
Medlen's injury paired with Brandon Beachy exiting Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies due to muscle soreness have clouded the Braves' rotation plans going forward, and the team may have to evaluate options if one or more of its starters can't go.
Medlen, who went 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA in 2013 just one year after going an impressive 10-1 with a 1.57 ERA in 2012, was slated to be the team's Opening Day starter, but it remains to be seen if that will happen now.
The Braves look to improve on a strong 2013 season that saw them win the National League East for the first time since 2005 with a 96-66 record before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
Medlen is 34-20 in his career through 152 games with a 2.59 ERA in that span.
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