Back Surgery to Sideline AL Homer Leader Canseco
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MIAMI — Jose Canseco, picked for the All-Star game for the first time since 1992, had back surgery Sunday to repair a herniated disc and will be sidelined for at least six weeks.
Canseco, who leads the American League with 31 homers, will not be able to resume baseball workouts for at least four weeks, Dr. Tom Tolli said after the 90-minute operation, and will then have to get back in shape.
Tolli and Dr. Gary Giesseke removed two fragments from Canseco’s lower right back.
“We expect a full recovery,” Tolli said. “Jose had the option of non-surgical care, but the amount of pain he was in was the deciding factor. He wanted it done as soon as possible.”
Canseco, Tampa Bay’s designated hitter, left Friday’s game in the eighth inning because of intense back pain. He had an MRI that revealed a severely compressed nerve was causing weakness in the toes of his right foot.
American League Manager Joe Torre picked Baltimore’s Harold Baines to replace Canseco on the team.
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