"It doesn't look good."
They are the words that every manager dreads hearing, and yet that was what A's trainer Nick Paparesta was telling Oakland skipper Dave Roberts.
"How long?" Roberts asked the A's longtime trainer, who was entering his 11th year with the ballclub.
Jharel Cotton was the cause for their consternation. Specifically Jharel's UCL -- Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Roberts was no expert in exercise science, but he knew enough that it could be serious.
"Hard to tell, but if it's a complete tear, you're looking at twelve months," Paparesta answered, not pulling any punches.
Roberts eyes widened in disbelief. The A's were just about to leave Spring Training in Phoenix, where they were the trendy pick to win the AL West. Sports Illustrated had predicted a 95-win season, putting Oakland ace pitcher
Chris Sale on the cover staring down Astros shortstop
Alex Bregman with the caption "Houston, We Have a Problem."
Now it was Oakland that had the problem. Little did SI know, the A's cover boy, Sale, would suffer a hamstring injury at the end of Spring Training and wasn't expected to join his new team until May. Now, a second pitcher would be joining Sale on the DL, for a full year. In their place, Roberts would have to find two new pitchers for the rotation: rookies
Heath Fillmyer and
Alex Lange. Roberts was already being tested not even a game into his regime as the A's new manager. 2021 was shaping up to be an interesting one in Oakland.
The A's two injured pitchers, Chris Sale (left) and Jharel Cotton (right)
Sports Illustrated predicting big things out of the A's in 2021