Houston - As it turns out, Brewers right-hander Yovani Gallardo did not escape serious injury Thursday in a collision at first base in Chicago.
Far from it.
An examination in Milwaukee this morning revealed Gallardo suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in that collision with Chicago's Reed Johnson near first base in the fifth inning. He was placed on the 15-day DL and right-hander Dave Bush was recalled from Class AAA Nashville to replace him.
No decision will be made on surgery until the swelling subsides in Gallardo's knee. But he in all likelihood will miss most if not all the rest of the season, a severe blow to the Brewers' chances in 2008.
Gallardo, 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts, was injured when he tried to leap over Johnson near first base after Johnson tried to beat first baseman Prince Fielder to the bag by diving head-first on a bunt play. It appeared immediately that Gallardo was seriously injured as his knee hyperextended but he shook it off, told the medical staff he was OK and pitched the sixth inning, giving up two runs.
The Brewers must have figured something was wrong, however, because Gallardo was sent to Milwaukee to be examined instead of accompanying the team to Houston.
Gallardo missed the first three weeks of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair torn cartilage.
Bush was sent down last weekend to work on his command and made one start for Nashville on Wednesday, allowing one earned run in six innings. Presumably, he'll be replacing Gallardo in the rotation.
