Jharel Cotton out for 2018 with torn UCL
By Zach Houle
The Oakland Athletics are a young team on the rise, and now they will be without righty Jharel Cotton for 2018.
The Oakland Athletics have done well in drafting and developing talent in recent years. They are a small-market club, so it is crucial for the franchise to hit on their young guys. The club has several interesting players such as Matt Olson, Franklin Barreto, and Matt Chapman, a youthful core the front office can build around for years to come.
Unfortunately, righty Jharel Cotton is a young arm to go down for 2018. He has a UCL tear, which will require Tommy John surgery in the near future.
Cotton just finished his first full season and tossed a bloated 5.58 ERA in 129 innings of work. His lack of control was a big reason why the ERA was so high due to his BB/9 of 3.70. The starter will have to dial that back when he gets back on the mound to be successful. The righty has a solid mix of pitches that fools hitters, it’s just a matter of executing on a consistent basis.
Here is what Jharel Cotton’s reaction to the news, which was reported by A’s beat reporter Jane Lee:
"“It’s tough,” Cotton said. “I’m missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it’s kind of hard to take. I’m trying to take it as best I can and get ready for the long process, the long road ahead, come back strong next season.”"
The A’s will have to look at options outside the organization. Because the team is so young, there aren’t a ton of veteran guys to lean on. The front office should go out and make a play for a low-cost veteran starter, either in prospects or money. Ultimately, it would be the best route in patching up this issue. This isn’t the first time that a young pitcher has gone down this spring training, Tampa Bay Rays top prospect Brent Honeywell was the first to get the injury bug.
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Overall, this is a big blow for a club that is heavily relying on their youth to develop and compete in the near future. The A’s will have important decisions to make heading into Opening Day. For Oakland, it will be another year of madness which amounts to nothing.