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Johnny Cueto was sent back to the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday, with an elbow issue in his right throwing arm. The injury is cause for concern for the Giants, especially because Cueto is seeking a second and third opinion on the elbow, including a consultation from Dr. James Andrews later this week.
Giants beat writer Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic joined Tolbert & Lund on Wednesday afternoon and broke down how severe the issue could be.
“He’s getting multiple opinions and if he’s getting multiple opinions that tells you the first one is not good,” Baggarly said of Cueto. “Joe Panik went for a second opinion and had surgery. I mean he’s going to see Dr. Andrews because they’re close to Pensacola, they’ll be in Atlanta, and then we’ll find out. I think we’re going to know basically tomorrow or certainly by Friday just what’s going to happen here, because if he’s just grinding and he’s got inflammation and the ligament is not all the way torn or whatever, I mean he had a zero something ERA and was about the best pitcher in the National League, and you know he can find a way to compete, but they also have him signed for quite a few more years after this year. It’s a hard thing. If they can just get through a little bit longer and wait until they get (Madison) Bumgarner back so it doesn’t seem so dire, but you’ve got to do right by him too.”
The injury comes at a rough time for both Cueto and the Giants. Cueto’s 0.84 ERA is currently the best in the major leagues, and has helped San Francisco’s rotation get by with the absence of Bumgarner since the beginning of the season.
“We don’t know,” said Baggs of Cueto’s diagnosis. “This is what’s weird about this is normally Bruce Bochy or Bobby Evans they’ll give us some idea about what the spectrum is, from season-ending surgery to he’ll miss one start…and they’re basically not telling us anything, but the fact that he’s getting multiple opinions tells you that this could be something that keeps him out for a very long time.”
In more positive news, Baggarly believes that Andrew McCutchen could return to the Giants’ lineup as early as Friday. McCutchen left Wednesday’s game early after he was hit in the right elbow by a pitch.
“Just X-rays to make sure nothing was broken, and I talked to him after the game and he said he’s fine,” Baggarly said. “It hit him right in the funny bone, so it can really shock your arm, and shock that nerve so your sensation doesn’t come back. I’m sure that they’ll be careful with it but he’s got a day off tomorrow and they anticipate, he anticipates, he’ll be good to go by Friday.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Baggarly on Cueto start from 5:40.
