Ryan Braun has been experiencing pain in his right thumb since the 2013 season. He was given two options for surgery in the offseason, but neither appealed to the 2011 MVP. Instead he opted to deal with the pain throughout all of 2014 and it significantly affected his performance.
But Braun decided to undergo a cryotherapy procedure on his thumb on Thursday. His damaged nerved was exposed to subzero temperatures with a needle, and the doctors hope by Monday Braun can swing a bat to test his pain tolerance in the affected region. The procedure was performed by Dr. Vernon B. Williams at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. It remains a mystery as to why doctors didn't offer this treatment to Braun last season, after he was experiencing pain early on and was then suspended for the final 61 games because of his involvement with Biogenesis of America.
The left fielder told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier this year that he did not like the surgery options presented to him before the start of 2014. The first procedure involved removing the nerve from the affected area, which would have left his thumb completely numb, forever. The second option involved removing the nerve, but leaving the nerve endings, which could have potentially still left him in extreme pain. He felt both of these options weren't prudent for his long-term health.
"When you can't use your top hand as a baseball player, it drastically alters everything that you do," Braun said of his struggles this season. "I've tried to adjust; I've tried to find a way to deal with it the best I could. At times, I've been OK. But, for the most part, it's been really difficult, really challenging and very frustrating."
"The doctor said it went well," added Brewers assistant general manager, Gord Ash. "He'll have a follow-up with the doctor and we'll see how he responds."
Braun's thumb was noticeably affecting his performance this season, which could be somewhat attributed to the Brewers' failure to make the postseason after leading the NL Central for most of the year. If we don't count his suspension-shortened season in 2013, Braun registered career-lows in runs scored (68), hits (141), home runs (19), RBIs (81), stolen bases (11), batting average (.266), on-base percentage (.324), slugging percentage (.453) and OPS (.777). He also batted .210 in September with only one home run and five RBIs.
The Brewers hope to rebound next season, but the front office has some decisions to make with their personnel, most notably manager Ron Roenicke.
