Giants’ Tim Lincecum diagnosed with degenerative condition in both hips
San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum has been diagnosed with a degenerative condition in both hips and given cortisone injections, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters on Monday.
Lincecum, 31, has been on the disabled list since June 28 after he was hit on the arm by a line drive that bruised his forearm. He saw a hip specialist in Tennessee on Monday.
“There’s some stuff going on there,” Bochy said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. “He did see some degenerative things, which is normal with athletes.”
The injury is not believed to be career-threatening. Lincecum is expected to start throwing again in five days.
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Lincecum won the Cy Young Award in 2008 and 2009, and led the National League in strikeouts for three straight years from 2008–10. He has struggled in recent seasons, though, with a steadily declining strikeout rate and rising ERA that reached 4.74 in 2014 when he was eventually moved to the bullpen.
The right-hander has a 4.13 ERA in 15 starts this season with 60 strikeouts in 76-1/3 innings. His 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings and 1.58 per walk are both the worst rates of his career. He will be a free agent after this season.
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