Rockies right-back Scott Oberg underwent surgery on Thursday night to treat a recurrence of blood clots in his right elbow that kept him out of Major League action in August 2019. This is his fourth fight with the condition.
The operation, performed at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, is likely to end Oberg’s career, whose 259 games are the most Rockies players since he debuted in 2015.
Oberg, 30, was one of the Majors’ top scorers in 2018 and ’19, before the condition, which first broke out in ’18, returned and ended his season. Oberg was apparently close to a comeback in August last year, when the condition broke out again.
In September, Oberg underwent surgery at the University of Pennsylvania for chest discharge syndrome. The hope was that by the fact that the doctors removed his upper rib on the right side, part of the constriction that led to the formation of clots would disappear.
This spring, Oberg made four unscored appearances last month. Oberg had four attacking shots, hit a batsman and held opponents to two shots over four innings this spring, and he seemed to be on his way to being healthy enough to start the season. But then the outbreak took place on Thursday night.
In 2018 and ’19, Oberg won 14-2 with an ERA of 2.35 in 105 appearances. His ERA is the fifth smallest of the players with at least 100 innings in ’18. Oberg’s 3.85 ERA is the seventh lowest in the club’s history among players with at least 200 innings.