The Oakland A’s kick off the season on March 31st against the Cleveland Indians in Oakland, but they will be doing so without two of their starting pitchers.

First and foremost, Jarrod Parker will miss the entire 2014 campaign as he undergoes his second Tommy John surgery. The twenty-five year old pitcher received the devastating news on Monday after seeing Dr. Andrews.  Parker was the presumed Opening Day starter for Oakland, and an important piece to their young staff.  

Last season, Parker dealt with some forearm issues, but was able to battle through it.  Two Tommy John surgeries at the age of 25 is concerning for the A’s, but here’s to hoping for a speedy recovery and a bounce-back 2015 season for Parker.

There is also some concern with another A’s starter, A.J. Griffin, who will be sidelined for three weeks due to flexor tendinitis.  Griffin’s MRI revealed no structural damage which means no surgery is needed.  He had a similar tendinitis issue last season, which is worrisome, but the fact that there is no structural damage is promising.

Manager Bob Melvin gave no timetable for Griffin’s return, but with him not throwing for at least three weeks, it’s likely he’ll land on the 15-day disabled list to start the season.  It’s been reported that he may be kept out of the rotation until May, but that depends on how these next three weeks go for Griffin.

So, what does this all mean for the A’s pitching staff?  

Luckily Melvin has a lot of pitching depth and two fairly experienced guys who can take over when needed.

One of those guys is Tom Milone, who although wasn’t favored to make the rotation, may do so due to the injuries.  The other is Jesse Chavez, who is the A’s long relief go-to in the bullpen.

It appears the A’s plan is to have Chavez remain in the rotation, taking Parker’s spot, and use Milone as the short-term solution while Griffin heals up.  Chavez has had some ups and downs in the bigs, but played an important role last year and did very well in long relief.  

When it comes to the Opening Day starter, Parker was expected to get the nod, now it looks as if the youngster Sonny Gray will do the honors.  Although he only has ten starts to his name, Gray has the talent to handle the pressure that may come with being a number one starter, and the A’s will be relying in him to follow up his impressive 2013 season this year.

Pitching is key to Oakland’s success, and Billy Beane has made sure they are prepared for injuries such as these by providing depth.  The news regarding Parker is obviously a blow to this team, but they’ve overcome significant injuries in the past, and they know that they have some guys who can step up and get the job done.