2 min read • April 04, 2022
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Jack Flaherty, the St. Louis Cardinals top starter, is working his way back from a shoulder ailment, but may not be in the clear until the season is over.
The 26-year-old had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right shoulder and is reportedly expected to rejoin the rotation sometime in April.
The ProBaseballDocs aren’t as optimistic.
Flaherty has tried to downplay the news and said the issue concerns inflammation in his shoulder, not the previous Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior tear in his shoulder.
The SLAP is a part of the labrum that does not heal once torn. While it’s true that Flaherty and the team are just concerned with the inflammation and bursitis right now, the SLAP tear is likely causing the inflammation.
The ProBaseballDocs give Flaherty a Sports Injury Central score of 43 because he is unlikely to exceed 43% of his typical production in a healthy season.
The Cardinals righty told reporters he also dealt with shoulder discomfort last year after he returned from an oblique strain. The team doctors and video analysis revealed that changes in his pitching motion to adjust after the oblique strain likely lead to the shoulder issue.
He can still likely return in May and pitch effectively for stretches of the season, but the shoulder issue leaves him vulnerable to future issues.
Despite two trips to the IL – one for the oblique strain and another for the shoulder issue – Flaherty finished 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA.
In his five-year career, Flaherty has averaged a 3.34 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.
Adam Wainwright, the 16-year Cardinals veteran, is the team’s No. 2 starter this season, but is 40 years old and may also struggle with durability given the delayed spring training. Wainwright will get the ball when the Cardinals open the season Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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