CLEVELAND _ Indians outfielder Michael Brantley has been given a timeline of four months to recover from surgery to address chronic biceps tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Dr. Keith Meister and Dr. Mark Schickendantz performed the season-ending surgery, known as a bicep tenodesis, on Monday in Dallas. During the surgery, it was confirmed that Brantley's previously repaired labrum was still intact and the remainder of the shoulder joint looked good.
Brantley will miss all but 11 games of this 2016 season after injuring his shoulder Sept. 22 of last year in Minnesota diving for a ball. The Indians hope Brantley will be able to ramp up his offseason program in 12 to 16 weeks, which would then allow him to have a regular spring training.
After a missed season, Brantley will turn his attention toward being ready for 2017.
"That's part of the reason we wanted to try to do it now and give him a chance to, when he comes, [be ready]," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Because he'll need a good spring training. He's got 20 at-bats this year. So having him not have to be behind in spring would be really big. I think that there's a real chance that will happen."
It was an ongoing battle for Brantley as he tried to ramp up his hitting activities to return to the lineup. After his initial surgery last winter, he underwent an outpatient procedure to remove scar tissue and received two anti-inflammatory shots prior to Monday's surgery.
Each time it appeared Brantley might be close to a return, he sustained another setback and the process had to be repeated. It made for a frustrating, one-step-forward-two-steps-back rehab.
"So many times, he'd get into the batter's box, like game situation, and that's when he would feel it [after feeling good in the cage]," Francona said. "That's why it was kind of confounding. I think on a number of [occasions], we had him looked at by like three different people. Just because he got so close, I think it was [difficult]. I was genuinely excited when he came back from Texas."
Brantley has been a crucial piece to the middle of the Indians lineup and was a Most Valuable Player finalist in 2014, hitting .327 with 20 home runs, 45 doubles and 97 RBIs. Last season he hit .310 with 15 home runs, 45 doubles and 84 RBIs. He totaled 10 WAR in those two seasons combined, according to FanGraphs, the third-best mark among left fielders.
The Indians have operated this entire season with the prospect of Brantley returning. With that now gone, they'll continue on with Rajai Davis, Tyler Naquin, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte in the outfield. Almonte, due to his suspension for a failed drug test, is not eligible for postseason play.
"I think they care so much about him that it is a blow. It's been one," Francona said. "Again, I'm not even talking about on the field. We're finding ways to get it done. That doesn't mean we don't miss him or don't care. We have no other alternative."
