Starting pitchers Adam Liberatore and Hyun-Jin Ryu underwent respective elbow surgery without any further issues being discovered, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday. He spoke during the club’s first National League Division Series workout at Dodger Stadium.
Ryu was operated on last week, while Liberatore’s surgery was Tuesday. Both arthroscopic left elbow debridements were performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and Liberatore and Ryu are expected to make a full recovery in time for next season.
For Ryu, it marked the second consecutive year he’s had a season end with surgery. After returning in July from last season’s operation to repair the torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, Ryu managed to make just one start.
He allowed six runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings. There were flashes of his 2014 form but also expected fatigue and rust. Ryu was encouraged by the absence of pain after his 2016 debut, but failed to make his next scheduled start.
Elbow tendinitis forced him to the 15-day disabled list after the All-Star break, and the Dodgers transferred Ryu to the 60-day DL on Aug. 1.
That suggested pitching again this season was no longer possible, though Ryu did express a desire to return. He made just one combined start over 2015-16. From 2013-14, Ryu went a combined 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA over 56 starts.
News of Liberatore undergoing the clean-up procedure wasn’t much of a surprise when considering he pitched with elbow trouble since June. Liberatore was placed on the disabled list in early August, and never looked the part of his first-half self after that point.
The 29-year-old did manage to set a Dodgers franchise record with 28 consecutive scoreless appearances. He appeared in a career-high 58 games and pitched to a 3.38 ERA, 2.89 FIP and 1.19 WHIP.
Alex Wood returned eight weeks after undergoing the same debridement surgery as Liberatore and Ryu.
There was consideration given to carrying Wood on the 25-man NLDS roster, but the Dodgers ultimately went in a different direction. Wood did travel with the club to Washington D.C.
