Dustin McGowan’s hopes for a 2010 comeback ended last Tuesday when he learned he had torn the rotator cuff in his right shoulder.
McGowan had surgery Tuesday, undergoing a procedure designed to increase the range of motion in his throwing arm. During the surgery, however, doctors discovered a significant tear in his rotator cuff. According to a report released by the Toronto Blue Jays, the tear was repaired, but the Long County native won‘t be making a comeback this season.
The setback means the earliest McGowan may be back on the mound will be sometime in the 2011 season.
Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos said, "You believe in his ability, you believe in him as a human being and as a person with his work ethic. More importantly you believe in your staff. As long as our staff feels like they can get him back on track and get him on the field and get him throwing and get him back in games, we’re going to continue to work with him."McGowan is also optimistic about his return , according to his mother, Tara Manning. Manning said she talked to her son this week and, despite the news, he is upbeat about his prognosis.
"Of course he wasn’t happy about this, but he still is looking forward to coming back next year," she said. "He said he’s going to do what the doctors say and start rehabbing as soon as he can, and hopefully he’ll be throwing by next year’s spring training."
McGowan began the year on Toronto’s disabled list and was diagnosed with a "dead arm" in March. Anthopoulos said there is no way to determine when his rotator cuff was torn, but it could have been as early as March or as recently as June 14 when the pitcher felt a sharp pain while he was throwing.
In the report, the GM said, "The fact that Dr. (James) Andrews (the surgeon who operated on McGowan) was able to find something and to repair it, we’re optimistic that he’ll be able to come back, and we’ll continue to work with him."
McGowan has started 75 games for Toronto compiling a 20-22 record. He last pitched a regular-season game July 8, 2008 against the Baltimore Orioles. He left early because of pain in his right shoulder.
McGowan was drafted by the Jays as a first-round pick in 2000. As a teenager, he pitched for Long County High School.