Jefferies' elbow is OK; bicep strain needs treatment

After an MRI showed his elbow was OK, Athletics starter Daulton Jefferies will now see a specialist for a right bicep strain.

The A’s finally got their update on the injury status of right-handed pitcher Daulton Jefferies, but the rookie’s status remains up in the air.

Manager Bob Melvin told the assembled A’s media corps Sunday morning that an MRI on Jefferies’ arm showed no damage to the elbow, which was excellent news for the A’s, given that Jefferies has already undergone Tommy John surgery.

What did show up is apparently an upper right bicep strain. Melvin said Jefferies would see a biceps specialist on Monday.

Talking early Saturday to the San Jose Mercury News, Jefferies said suspected the injury was bicep-related. After originally feeling the injury was much worse, Jefferies told the paper that he believed he suffered a right bicep cramp while throwing a two-seamer.

“I’m just happy it’s not my elbow,” he said.

There is no timeline yet for a Jefferies return.

Jefferies walked off the field in the company of a trainer in the middle of the A’s 14-4 loss to the Brewers on Monday. The first plan was for an MRI on Thursday. It didn’t take place until Friday, and the results didn’t pop until Sunday.

Manager Bob Melvin said at the time it was “pretty scary” to watch the way Jefferies reacted after the pitch that led to the pain in the fourth inning.

“I have a hope we have some good news,” Melvin said. “He was having a tough time there. I’m not sure what the timeline is. It was pretty scary to watch his reaction and go out there and see his face.”

Jefferies has been down the injury route before. Drafted in the first round out of the 2016 draft – the same first round that A.J. Puk was plucked – he has yet to pitch in a big-league game, unlike Puk.

He had Tommy John surgery that limited him to a cumulative three games in 2017-17. So far there is no indication of a repeat occurrence.

“Hopefully we caught a break,” Melvin said. “The way it looked when he was on the mound, after having Tommy John, was a little ominous. But it’s not that area. That’s a good thing.”

While splitting his 2019 season between Class-A Stockton and Double-A Midland, Texas, Jefferies pitched in 26 games with a 3.42 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 79 innings.

The A’s see him as a potential top-line starting pitcher, but he is going to have to be healthy for that to happen.