Lowe’s elbow heals slowly
PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners reliever Mark Lowe will have another MRI to determine when he can start throwing following elbow surgery in October.
Meanwhile, former San Diego third baseman Sean Burroughs’ comeback attempt as a non-roster invitee to Seattle’s camp has been delayed before starting – because of a fishing accident.
Lowe, whom the Mariners had hoped would be the setup man for closer J.J. Putz, saw Dr. Lewis Yocum on Monday in Tempe, Ariz.
Yocum performed the operation Oct. 6 to repair a defect in Lowe’s right elbow and has scheduled a follow-up MRI for today.
Lowe sounded as if he expects to have minor arthroscopic surgery to clean up any remaining problems in the elbow.
“It would be very simple. It would push it back two weeks, at the most,” Lowe said after stretching but doing nothing else during the Mariners’ first full-squad workout of the spring.
“They want to get it straight,” he said, trying and failing to straighten his right arm. “But it’s not going to be straight.”
Lowe advanced from Double-A to pitch a Mariners-record 17 2/3 scoreless innings to begin his major league career last summer. He had hoped to resume throwing next week.
The Mariners have said the 23-year-old Lowe might return in May or June – or not at all this season, given the unpredictable nature of his surgery.
“I know I am going to come back,” Lowe said. “It’s just going to take a little longer than they were saying, that’s all.”
Burroughs slipped and fell while fishing in San Diego last week. An MRI revealed a sprained AC joint and separation in his right shoulder. The 26-year-old Burroughs is scheduled to remain in San Diego through the end of the month, then be re-examined.
Burroughs did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone.
Burroughs, picked ninth overall in the 1998 draft by the Padres, batted .190 in eight games with Tampa Bay last season, after San Diego traded him to the Devil Rays on Dec. 7, 2005. He had a back strain and missed all of last July with a neck strain for Tampa Bay, which released him on Aug. 14.
Seattle signed him to a minor league contract in December that calls for Burroughs to get a $450,000, one-year contract if he is added to Seattle’s 40-man roster. He could earn an additional $25,000 each for 300 and 350 plate appearances, and $50,000 each for 400 and 450 plate appearances.