Johnny Cueto admitted his elbow was in rough shape after a shaky start on the weekend, but things might be even worse than expected.
The Giants starter told reporters his elbow hurt while pitching four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, and he was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday.
San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy then added that there's a "strong possibility" the veteran right-hander will undergo Tommy John surgery, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Cueto has struggled with elbow problems for a good chunk of this season and received multiple opinions about the injury in May, including one from renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews.
The 32-year-old finally returned to the Giants at the beginning of July after missing three months, but hasn't resembled the pitcher who allowed just three earned runs combined during April.
Cueto's recent starts:
| DATE | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5 | 5.0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jul 11 | 5.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| Jul 22 | 7.0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Jul 28 | 4.0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Should Cueto require surgery or any further extended absence, it would be a gigantic loss for San Francisco's rotation as the team attempts to stay in the National League wild-card race.
He's also owed nearly $22 million per season until the end of 2021.
