Johnny Cueto Out 6-8 Weeks with Arm Injury, Tommy John Surgery Still Possible

San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto will miss significant time with an elbow injury, but it appears to be a better diagnosis than it could have been.

According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, Cueto has been diagnosed with a sprained elbow and not a tear. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area added that surgery was not recommended, although the injury could keep him out for six to eight weeks.

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic noted Tommy John surgery remains an option if rehab doesn't work, but multiple doctors determined it wasn't necessary at this time.

The Giants placed the 32-year-old on the disabled list May 1, his second trip to the DL this season after he dealt with an ankle injury in April.

This has limited him to five starts all year, although he's been nearly flawless in that span. He has a 3-0 record with a 0.84 ERA and a 0.688 WHIP.

Cueto is coming off a disappointing 2017 season where he also missed time due to injury, but his talent has shined throughout his career, including in 2016 when he finished sixth in Cy Young voting with 18 wins and a 2.79 ERA.

Unfortunately, injuries have become a problem in recent seasons.

After averaging 225 innings pitched from 2014 through 2016 across three different organizations, he only pitched 147.1 innings last year and looks like he will fall well short of that mark in 2018. Considering he is signed through at least 2021, the Giants will hope he can find a way to stay on the mound going forward.