A's top prospect Jesús Luzardo has Grade 2 lat strain; no timetable for return

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OAKLAND – The A's received some unwelcome news regarding their best pitching prospect Wednesday.

Jesús Luzardo suffered a Grade 2 strain of his latissimus dorsi muscle, the team announced, ending the prospect of him joining the MLB club in the near future.

A Wednesday MRI revealed the diagnosis. The A’s said there is no timetable for his return.

Luzardo was pulled four innings into a Tuesday start for Triple-A Las Vegas after experiencing tightness in the latissimus dorsi, a muscle that extends down the side of the back.

A Grade 2 strain is considered moderate on a three-point scale. According to an injury glossary on the MLB website, Grade 2 latissimus dorsi strains usually take a month of recovery at least. That references a return to action, which will surely happen in the minors with a series of starts to ramp up and stretch out. 

That’s surely disappointing for player and team, especially considering the possibility the left-hander could have joined Oakland's rotation in the near future.

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Baseball America ranked him the No. 7 overall prospect this spring, and he could’ve started this season with the A's if not for a strained shoulder.

That ailment slowed his rapid ascent. This new, unrelated injury setback is another blow that will postpone his impact on the MLB club further into the future.

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