A.J. Puk Making Progress In Recovery From Shoulder Injury

Athletics lefty A.J. Puk was slowed by some shoulder trouble in early March, creating some unwelcome uncertainty for a player that just returned late last year from a major injury. Fortunately, Puk has been throwing throughout the COVID-19 shutdown and has progressed to long-tossing from 120 feet, he said in an appearance on Susan Slusser’s A’s Plus podcast (audio link).

Medical review had seemingly ruled out the most troubling potential scenarios. But Puk’s outlook was still a bit unclear when last we checked in. It seems he’s now firmly on the upswing/

“It’s probably the best my shoulder’s felt in awhile actually,” said Puk. “Coming back from Tommy John, a lot of people always seem to talk about how your shoulder kind of flares up and you’ve just got to work through it. I think I was at that stage.”

Puk, the former No. 6 overall pick, added that he has access to mounds from which to throw at nearby facilities. He and fellow top prospect Jesus Luzardo chatted with Slusser about the state of their workouts amid the current stoppage, detailed the ways they’ve kept busy and shared their thoughts on a potentially shortened season or playing in front of empty parks.