In a season of adversity, nothing has phased the 2012 Oakland Athletics. The team will once again have to persevere against the odds as starting pitcher Brett Anderson will miss the remainder of the regular season. The left hander was pulled from Wednesday’s start in the third inning and a later MRI discovered he had suffered a grade two oblique strain.
Anderson had made 6 strong starts for the Athletics after a 14 month recovery from “Tommy John” surgery. He won his first four starts and was 4-2 with a 2.57 ERA on the season. This latest injury mars what had been a surprisingly quick and dominating comeback.
Anderson is the third Athletics starter to be out for the season after Bartolo Colon’s suspension and Brandon McCarthy’s line drive to the skull.
With Anderson out, Travis Blackley will be the staff veteran as he rejoins an A’s rotation that features four rookies. The long time journeyman, who hadn’t won a major league game since 2004 before this season, is 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA in 12 starts this season. He will make the start Saturday at New York, with Straily taking Anderson’s turn in the rotation next Monday against Texas.
