PHILADELPHIA _ Giants starter Johnny Cueto's elbow injury isn't as severe as the club feared.
After spending Monday morning visiting Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., Cueto was diagnosed with a right elbow sprain. Giants general manager Bobby Evans said Cueto's rehab process will take six to eight weeks, but a pitcher's elbow is unpredictable and it's possible Cueto will have to deal with pain for the rest of the season.
The Giants were concerned Cueto might have a torn UCL in his pitching elbow that could have required Tommy John surgery. However, after multiple doctors reviewed his MRI and offered opinions on potential treatment plans, Cueto will attempt to rest and recover without having his elbow operated on.
Cueto will spend the next two months rehabbing, but if his elbow doesn't respond as he hopes, surgery will likely remain an option. A Tommy John surgery to repair a UCL would sideline a starting pitcher for well over a year and put the 2019 season in jeopardy.
An opt-out clause in Cueto's contract allowed him to test free agency after the 2017 season, but he elected to remain with the Giants and play out the final four years of his contract. From 2018-2021, Cueto is guaranteed to earn $84 million, regardless of how much time he spends on the disabled list.
Even if Cueto makes a full recovery and rejoins the Giants' rotation toward the end of June, the franchise will keep close tabs on the health of his elbow and monitor his workload closely.
Cueto posted a 0.84 ERA in his first five starts of the 2018 season, demonstrating a return to form after a rough 2017 campaign. He missed one start this season due to an ankle sprain, but began feeling pain in his elbow following a start against the Angels on April 22.
The right-hander also missed six weeks after the All-Star break last season with two separate injuries, blisters on his pitching hand and a forearm strain. At 32, Cueto has already logged upward of 1,800 career innings in the majors.
