It's a Waiting Game for A's starter Jefferies

Right-hander Daulton Jefferies had hoped to know by Saturday the nature of his injury. But while he's still waiting, he's glad to know it's not another elbow injury.

The A’s had hoped to know by Saturday the status of rookie starting pitcher Daulton Jefferies, but that didn’t happen.

Talking early in the day to the San Jose Mercury News, Jefferies said he didn’t know the results, and he didn’t know if he would know by the end of the day.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that Jefferies is coming to the conclusion that he suffered a bicep injury in his right arm.

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.

If Dr. Daulton is correct, he may not miss much time, although the A’s likely would hold him back to make sure the bicep is good to go before getting him back on the mound.

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 so the A’s are still waiting to learn about the results.

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 2017-18. 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 (in) 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.