Mengden's roster push with A's faces setback

MESA, Ariz. -- A's right-hander Daniel Mengden pushed through discomfort in his elbow for nearly two years, leading to some ups and downs over the past two seasons. Entering the most important Spring Training of his career, the pain became too much, leading to surgery on his right elbow on Monday.

The procedure involved the shaving of a small spur on the posterior aspect of the olecranon and was performed in Arlington, Texas, by Rangers team physician Keith Meister.

Mengden arrived to the A's Spring Training facility wearing a sling, as pitchers and catchers officially reported.

“I got a cortisone shot last year in August, missed a start, came back and tried to finish out the year strong,” said Mengden, who went 5-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 13 games (nine starts) with the A’s last season. “I was hoping the arm would get better, but I had the same issues and pinch in the back. I wasn’t comfortable and needed to get it clean.”

Considered on the roster bubble as a potential candidate for the bullpen, Mengden was told a timetable could be anywhere from six to 10 weeks, meaning he must now wait at least a couple of months before getting a shot to prove himself. At the very least, he’ll now know once that shot does come, his elbow will be healthy for the first time in a long while.

“I don’t think it helps or hurts me. I was getting ready for the season just like I would any other season," Mengden said. "My body and everything else feels good. I got a little speed bump here, but I know I’ll get healthy soon and ready to play."

Added A's manager Bob Melvin: “It just pushes him back a while. As far as depth goes, if there was ever a time for him to do it, it would be now. You’re always dealing with injuries and looking for some added depth. He’s shown he can perform at a high level at the big league level.”