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Elbow injuries are scary. Elbow injuries to top prospects are scarier. Elbow injuries that might knock a guy out for a year, well, that’s the stuff of nightmares. Luckily, it looks like the Braves may have dodged this particular bullet when it comes to top prospect Ozhaino Albies’ treasured elbow.
#Braves Alblies had his fractured elbow placed in splint, will have surgery next week, expected to resume baseball activities in Jan.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) September 9, 2016
The fear was that Albies’ injury perhaps involved the ligament, spreading the Tommy John Surgery blight to the Braves’ position player prospects. But, it looks like Albies may be facing only a five or six month recovery timetable, if he’s theoretically going to be on pace for a return in January.
Albies make take it easy in early Spring Training, but if he’s cleared to play by March, he’ll likely still factor into the major league team’s 2017 plans. This is pretty much good (or great) news, and while it would have been even better for him to not have hurt his elbow at all, I’m not keen on looking this particular gift horse in the mouth.
In any case, Albies will lose the chance to participate in the Arizona Fall League. Get well soon, Ozzie.