Sean Newcomb, Freddy Tarnok ‘slightly behind’ other pitchers after offseason surgeries
Newcomb and Tarnok may not be ready when Cactus League play begins
The Oakland Athletics placed one pitcher on the 60-day injured list Wednesday and they have two more that are limited as spring camp gets underway. MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos reported that Sean Newcomb and Freddy Tarnok are both slightly behind the rest of the group after undergoing surgery during the offseason.
A's injuries: Aside from Ken Waldichuk, Mark Kotsay mentioned Sean Newcomb and Freddy Tarnok as two pitchers who are "slightly behind" the rest of the group as they return from surgeries. Both are progressing well on slower programs but may not play in spring games right away.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) February 15, 2024
Newcomb had a pair of surgeries on his knee with one coming in September and another in December. Tarnok underwent hip surgery in August. It doesn’t sound like either situation is serious, but it may keep both out of the early Cactus League games.
Newcomb was a late addition to the club in 2023 after he was acquired from the Giants. He appeared in seven games, including two starts, where he allowed five runs in 15 innings. Newcomb has a career 4.47 ERA and a 4.41 FIP in 421 innings in his career.
Tarnok was acquired from Atlanta in the Sean Murphy trade. He’s battled injury off and on throughout his professional career. He got hurt last spring and only appeared in five games at the major league level where he posted a 4.91 ERA in 14 2/3 innings.