BOSTON -- Craig Kimbrel had surgery Monday, as expected, to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Now, the clock begins ticking on the Boston Red Sox closer's return to the mound.
Kimbrel underwent a left knee arthroscopy and partial medial meniscectomy at Massachusetts General Hospital, according to a statement released by the Red Sox. The team continues to list Kimbrel's recovery at three to six weeks, although after a rehabilitation and a minor league assignment, it's possible he won't resume pitching in big league games until September.
"First off, after surgery we're going to have to get it stable, get it strong, get it comfortable," Kimbrel said last weekend. "I can't get on the mound with me being uncomfortable and changing my mechanics or anything like that. There's no doubt in my mind once it gets taken care of, once it gets to the strength it needs to be, everything else will be fine. I'm still going to be able to throw, play catch a little bit. So losing a few weeks of not getting off the mound, I don't think it will affect me, arm-wise, too much because I'm still going to be able to throw."
Kimbrel injured the knee during pregame warmups Friday at Fenway Park.
In Kimbrel's absence, Red Sox manager John Farrell said 41-year-old setup man Koji Uehara will receive the majority of the save opportunities. But the Sox also acquired submarining right-hander Brad Ziegler over the weekend in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ziegler will fill in when Uehara is unavailable or if he falters.