Starter Jarrod Parker, who’d hoped he was on the road back to a spot on the A’s opening day roster, walked off the field in pain Thursday after throwing one pitch of what was supposed to be a 20-pitch session against live hitters.
Parker, who has been bedeviled by injuries the last two seasons, has not pitched in the big leagues since 2013 following his second Tommy John-style ligament replacement surgery in his right arm and a subsequent fractured elbow suffered when he was trying to come back to the club last year.
The first pitch elicited a cry of pain from Parker, who quickly huddled with trainers as A’s players, coaches and manager Bob Melvin all went quiet with the suddenness of the turn of fortune for the 27-year-old right-handed starter who was one of the A’s best pitchers until struck down by injuries.