The San Francisco Giants delivered two pieces of bad injury news on Friday, and the more serious one concerns a pitcher's elbow.
Manager Tony Vitello said right-hander Trevor McDonald has been diagnosed with a moderate sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. McDonald will seek a second opinion this weekend before the club settles on a treatment plan, and Vitello indicated he is unlikely to pitch again this season.
McDonald exited his start against the Kansas City Royals on July 20 and was placed on the 15-day injured list the following day with what was initially described as an elbow strain. The imaging found something more specific.
What a moderate UCL sprain means
The ulnar collateral ligament runs along the inside of the elbow and absorbs much of the force generated by throwing a baseball. It is the ligament replaced in Tommy John surgery, which is why the three letters carry the weight they do.
A sprain is a partial tear, and "moderate" places it in the middle of the range — not the minor inflammation that rest resolves, and not the complete rupture that makes the decision for you. That middle ground is precisely why a second opinion matters here. Three paths are realistically available:
- Rehabilitation without surgery, which can work for lower-grade tears and carries the shortest timeline but the highest risk of recurrence
- An internal brace procedure, a repair rather than a reconstruction, with a return measured in months rather than a year
- Full Tommy John reconstruction, the most durable option and the longest absence, typically 12 to 18 months for a starting pitcher
The Giants have not indicated which way this is heading. Anyone telling you otherwise this weekend is guessing.
Bader has stopped baseball activity entirely
The other update concerns center fielder Harrison Bader, who has not played since May 29.
Bader has been shut down because of continued soreness from left plantar fasciitis and will travel to Indianapolis on Monday to consult Dr. David Porter, a foot and ankle specialist. He had been progressing — taking batting practice earlier this month and beginning a running progression — which makes the reversal more discouraging than a simple setback.
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue running along the bottom of the foot. It is not a dramatic injury, and it is notoriously stubborn, particularly for a player whose value depends on covering ground in the outfield. Nearly two months in, a specialist consultation suggests the standard treatment has not worked.
Where it leaves the Giants
Losing a starter to an elbow and a center fielder to a foot in the same afternoon, a week before the trade deadline, tends to clarify a front office's thinking.
The McDonald diagnosis in particular changes the rotation math for the rest of the season, and the timing means San Francisco will have to decide what it needs on the open market before it knows what McDonald's treatment plan turns out to be.
