A.J. Griffin undergoes right elbow surgery

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics announced today that right-handed starting pitcher A.J. Griffin underwent successful reconstructive surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow this morning. 

Griffin, who has not pitched this season, had sought a second opinion on his sore arm from Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff, who evaluated the A's pitcher yesterday in Houston, Tex. Dr. Mehlhoff, the orthopedic physician who successfully operated on Oakland pitcher Fernando Rodriguez last year, performed the same "Tommy John" surgery on Griffin at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital in Houston. Griffin, who was placed on the 15-day Disabled List at the end of spring training, will miss the remainder of the season.

The 26-year-old El Cajon, Calif. native posted a 14-10 record and 3.83 ERA in 32 starts last season, allowing 171 hits while striking out 171 batters and walking 54 in a team-high 200 innings. He missed the 2013 American League Division Series due to elbow tendinitis.

Selected by the A's in the 13th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of San Diego, Griffin has carved out a 21-11 mark and 3.60 ERA in pitching parts of the 2012 and 2013 seasons for Oakland. In 47 career games, all starts, he has struck out 235 batters, walked 73 and yielded 245 hits in 282.1 innings.

The 6-5, 230-pound right-hander won his 20th game in his 44th career start last Sept. 6 against Houston. The only pitchers in Oakland history to win 20 games in fewer than 44 starts are Tim Hudson (37 starts) and Vida Blue (39 games, 31 starts).