Garrett Mitchell, Shoulder Subluxations, and the Brewers' Options

The Injury

A shoulder subluxation is essentially a partial dislocation of the shoulder joint, occurring as a result of either loose ligaments in the shoulder joint, or weakness of the rotator cuff muscles. It usually occurs in movements where the hand and arm are at full stretch above the head. The instability in the shoulder joint can result in this being a recurring injury rather than a one-off, and create a persistent pain or weakness in the shoulder. 

That being said, this would be classified as a traumatic injury, which suggests a better long-term prognosis. Hopefully, the strength and conditioning elements of the Brewers system can assist in minimizing this further. The actual detachment is less of an issue with this injury than the damage it can do to the rotator cuff and the labrum.

What May Have Happened

Garrett Mitchell continuing to play on and throw with the injury may have made the situation significantly worse regarding the damage to his rotator cuff. It’s quite possible that he weakened his rotator cuff in the slide, with this weakness translating to the subluxation when he tried to throw to home. A partial tear exacerbated by the high-intensity throw to home could be season-ending, and the resulting surgery has historically created problems with a reduction in power due to scarring.

The Recovery

The recovery varies depending on the severity of the injury, but recent history doesn’t look promising. The worst-case scenario is also the most common cause unfortunately, which is anterior labral detachment, which wouldn’t bode well for Mitchell and could require an arthroscopic surgical repair. With a full detachment, surgery would be necessary, but there is a possibility that it can heal naturally if the labrum is merely strained. Complete recovery can take five to six months for the layman, and there is a huge risk in returning to activities before the shoulder is stable. Based on prior examples, it’s very possible that Mitchell is out for around three months based on this prognosis. If he’s avoided any damage to the labrum, then he would see a far shorter time off and merely need to put the shoulder back in place, and re-strengthen the muscles around the joint.

Similar MLB Injuries

Fernando Tatis, Jr.

Tatis had a shoulder subluxation during the first week of the 2021 season, on an extended follow-through while swinging the bat. Yet, he played through the injury all season before having surgery on the torn labrum at the end. In his own words, he was playing with “one arm” all season, yet he still posted a .975 OPS. It remains to be seen, as he hasn’t played in the major leagues since, but his recent performances in the minors suggest his power hasn’t disappeared. The subluxation was in his non-throwing arm.

Brian Anderson

In 2021, Anderson was a rising star (an All-Star in 2019), but he suffered two subluxations in the same season. The first put him on the 60-day injured list, and he came off as soon as the 60 days were up, on July 24th. Six weeks later, he had re-aggravated the injury, causing another subluxation, after which he elected to go the surgical route. It’s safe to say his throwing arm has recovered since, with a 102-mph throw from the outfield yesterday, but he has battled recurring shoulder niggles ever since.

Jesse Winker

In 2018, Winker had a right shoulder subluxation, which ended his season on July 25. He has struggled with shoulder stuff ever since, but he did experience a slight power decrease in 2019, which returned in 2020 and 2021.

Perk Up

It’s too early to know definitively when Mitchell will be back. In the meantime, Blake Perkins has gotten the call from Triple A to join the outfield mix. Whether or not Perkins remains the guy for the gig could depend on a number of factors. It feels likely that Sal Frelick pushes his way into the mix soon. At every turn, this team’s depth is being tested, but so far, they’ve passed all of those tests. Mitchell’s absence is just the next in the queue.