SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Giants center fielder Dave Roberts said he expects to have arthroscopic surgery on his inflamed left elbow in the coming days to remove floating bone chips as well as bone spurs.
“I feel this is definitely a good possibility as it stands,” Roberts said Wednesday.
While the team said it hopes Roberts will avoid needing a scope, he is scheduled to be examined Thursday by Angels team orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles and didn’t rule out having the procedure as soon as Yocum could do it in the coming days. Yocum worked on Roberts’ shoulder during his college days at UCLA.
If Roberts has the procedure – nearly identical to what slugger Barry Bonds underwent after last season – the recovery time is likely to be at least four weeks.
“My worst fear is to be in this situation late in the year,” Roberts said. “I’m trying to step away from all that and realize what’s in mine and the team’s best interest to get through the season in the most productive way.”
The 34-year-old Roberts homered in the Giants’ 5-3 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday, but noted afterward that he did so under the influence of strong anti-inflammatories and was fresh after not having played in the three previous games. He said he doesn’t intend to stay on such medication for a long period of time.
Roberts didn’t travel with the club after the game to Colorado for a four-game series starting Thursday.
“He’ll get another opinion,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We’ll see what’s best for him and the ballclub. It’s most important for him to get right.”
Roberts had an MRI exam Tuesday that revealed the bone chips. He cannot fully bend his elbow, which affects him at the plate and his outfield play – so the injury is not just about whether he can tolerate the pain.
Giants trainer Dave Groeschner, addressing the condition after Roberts signed a consent form allowing him to do so, said the team would keep the outfielder on the medication “as long as we can” and said of surgery, “Right now we’re not planning on doing that.”
Roberts is batting .216 with two homers and six RBIs in 27 games and 23 starts in his first season with San Francisco.
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