St. Louis Caridinals' slugger Albert Pujols will try to play through pain again this season. The team's website reported on Thursday that team physician Dr. George Paletta informed the slugger that surgery on his ailing right elbow isn't a wise option until a complete reconstruction is needed.
Pujols has a "high grade" tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, as well as bone spurs, inflammation and arthritis in the joint. The ligament has not worsened since it was first injured in 2003.
According to the report, Paletta said that Pujols was given three options over the winter — continue to play with treatment, have arthroscopic surgery to addres the bone spurs and inflammation, or have that surgery in addition to Tommy John surgery to address the ligament tear.
"This is not a curable problem without a reconstruction," Paletta said, according to the report. "What we hope is that it's a manageable problem. We've been managing this problem since 2003, when he first tore it. So we've been managing it fairly successfully for five seasons now. But there comes a time when it's not manageable anymore. And if it's not manageable anymore, the best answer for Albert probably, long-term, is to consider having the reconstruction done."
The Cardinals' young lineup already has several question marks revolving around it and the loss of Pujols for any period of time would be devastating.
OTHER INJURY NEWS:
Subscribe