As a last-ditch effort to see if he could be able to pitch again this season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley received an injection of platelet-rich plasma in his right elbow Thursday, Aug. 30, according to MLB.com.
"If he's able to throw after this, he's not finished and if that's the case, he'll start a throwing program," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "If not, there's a different plan. We're trying to see if this helps. It could be something that ends up more than that."
Billingsley was moved to the disabled list last Saturday with "inflammation" in his right elbow. The Dodgers have not announced the exact nature of Billingsley's injury, but PRP injections are typically used for tears in tendons or ligaments or for treating osteoarthritis, according to MLB.com.
Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten told The Los Angeles Times in an interview Wednesday he feared Billingsley would be lost for the season. He later clarified his comments as "not based on medical evidence."
Before going down with an injury, Billingsley had gone 10-9 with a 3.55 ERA this season. His last seven starts, in particular, were impressive, as he racked up a 6-0 record and a 1.80 ERA.
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