Bronson Arroyo gets great news after doctor initially misread MRI
What a difference 48 hours and a second opinion can make.
On Wednesday, 39-year-old pitcher Bronson Arroyo thought his career might be over after a doctor diagnosed him with an 80 percent tear of the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Come Friday though, that diagnosis was revised significantly after the Washington Nationals medical staff realized his MRI had been completely misread.
That’s quite a mistake to make. Not only was Arroyo’s rotator cuff completely intact, and not only is his career not in jeopardy, but he could be back on the field in less than two weeks.
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We’re guessing Arroyo was as stunned as he was relieved by Friday’s revelation. Meanwhile, the rest of us are baffled that such an important mistake could take place.
As James Wagner of the Washington Post tells us though, the initial diagnosis actually came from a non-baseball doctor. That might explain the confusion somewhat. It certainly takes the focus off the Nationals’ medical staff, which many may have assumed were involved in the initial diagnosis. But really it just shows how delicate the process can be and how much pressure doctors are constantly under to always be right.
One little detail can set a lot of things in motion, including the emotions of those being diagnosed, so accuracy must always be achieved.
Fortunately, Arroyo’s situation was related to baseball, something far less serious than other medical matters. And fortunately he did seek that second opinion, which provided Friday’s good news.
As for what this truly means for Arroyo’s future, the injury will obviously set him back and squash any hope of making Washington’s opening day roster. In all honesty, he was probably a long shot to begin with, but manager Dusty Baker does value Arroyo’s leadership and workhorse mentality from their days together in Cincinnati. In an opening had popped up, Arroyo would have been in that discussion.
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As it stands now, he might have to accept a minor assignment or look elsewhere for work. Considering the circumstances though, going to the minors for a bit is probably doesn’t sounds like such a bad result. It’s probably unavoidable anyway, so staying with Baker is probably his best bet.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
