Major League Baseball

Dodgers' Broxton to have season-ending surgery

Published Sep. 17, 2011 2:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, out since May with a bruised elbow, will have arthroscopic surgery Monday to reduce a spur on his right elbow and remove loose chips.

Dodgers trainer Stan Conte says the procedure is a minor cleanup that will allow Broxton to head into his offseason throwing program without impediment.

However, Broxton's days with the Dodgers could be nearing an end. His rehabilitation has been slowed by setbacks to his elbow and a sore back.

Broxton pitched just 12 2-3 innings this season, when he made $7 million. He is eligible for free agency after the World Series.

Javy Guerra and Kenley Jansen emerged as capable late-inning relievers in Broxton's absence, making the two-time All-Star expendable. He was 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA and seven saves this season after compiling 58 saves over 2009 and 2010.

Broxton is the latest Dodgers player to have his season ended early because of injury. Right fielder Andre Ethier had minor right knee surgery on Wednesday. Third baseman Casey Blake (neck), right-handers Rubby De La Rosa (elbow), Jon Garland (shoulder) and Vicente Padilla (neck) and left fielder Juan Uribe (sports hernia) also have had surgery.

Conte said Friday that the team wasn't aware of the loose chips in Broxton's elbow until he had another MRI and a CT scan. He's expected to resume throwing in six weeks.

Conte said the bone bruise, the spur and the loose chips were within centimeters of each other and were all related.

''It's sometimes difficult to know where the pain is coming from,'' Conte said.

Manager Don Mattingly said the surgery is ''good news'' for Broxton, adding that, ''It explains what's been going on.''

Meanwhile, left fielder Tony Gwynn Jr. will be out a couple days after a MRI revealed he jammed his left shoulder in a headfirst slide during a game in Washington, D.C., last week.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball