C.J. Wilson suffers setback in rehab, undergoes MRI
Los Angeles Angels starter C.J. Wilson underwent surgery on his elbow in August of last season, but it's his shoulder that's nagging at him during rehab in spring training.
Things were apparently going well enough for Wilson to throw a bullpen on Saturday. After some discomfort, though, he had a precautionary MRI done Monday.
Despite this setback, manager Mike Scioscia passed it off as part of the recovery.
"It's part of the rehab process," Scioscia told reporters, including Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. "It's not just his elbow, but his arm. And right now we're just going to go at whatever pace that his arm can go. Hopefully it's nothing significant."
As Gonzalez notes, Wilson has had a history of elbow surgeries, including Tommy John in 2008, but never a shoulder injury.
"When you go from not picking up a ball since [August], and then trying to get it back, there are always peripheral things we talk about," Scioscia said. "If a guy hurts his elbow, he's still got to get his shoulder in shape. It's not a normal Spring Training for him."
If Wilson were to miss any games this season, the Angels do have some starting pitching depth with Jered Weaver, Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, Hector Santiago, Matt Shoemaker and the recovering Tyler Skaggs.
It sounds like it won't be a problem, as the Angels received some good news following the MRI:
Wilson went 8-8 with a 3.89 ERA in 21 starts in 2015. He is owed $20 million in 2016, the final year of his five-year deal with the Angels.
