Brandon Clarke surgery

[scoutyjones2]

The circulatory issue was a contributing factor to the blisters. He got the procedure to solve the problem.

The circulatory issue did indeed contribute to the damage which caused blistering and was keeping the blisters from healing properly. This caused the extended time off while the blisters healed.

No. Blisters are formed from friction, heat and moisture

It'd be a lot easier to have a convo with you if you weren't such a richard all the time (and wrong). Dwain is smart enough to understand the problem is with the healing of the blisters and not the formation of them. Poor circulation reduces bloodflow to the hand which impacts the healing. Hence, it's a contributing factor to them and he gets the procedure to fix them.

See how easy that is? Now G[od] F[orgives] Y[ou].

Edit: God Forgives You. Lolz. I love it! Great job mods!

Horse [shirt].

That's just baloney. These weren't blood blisters or ulcers, they were blisters formed in the upper derma of the skin. LoL

Jumping Jesus in a pogo stick

I gotta give you credit for doubling down on stupid. See below.

What happened

Clarke recently underwent a surgical procedure to address poor circulation in his fingers that had been affecting him since entering professional baseball.

The circulation problems were linked to an aneurysm in his left arm — an abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that can disrupt smooth blood flow.

Those issues manifested as numbness in his fingers and persistent blister problems while pitching.

Why this is medically relevant

This is how Clarke’s situation was interpreted by the Cardinals’ medical staff and reported in the press:

Vascular compromise can affect fingertip health and healing
If blood flow is impaired — for example by an aneurysm that alters circulation — the soft tissues in the hand (especially fingertips) may not get optimal oxygen and nutrients. That can lead to slower healing and make the skin more susceptible to breakdown with the repetitive friction pitchers experience from seams. Blister problems that don’t heal normally plus numbness would point clinicians toward a neurovascular cause rather than just mechanical friction alone.

Numbness is a red flag for neurovascular issues
Pure blisters typically don’t cause numbness. When numbness appears alongside blistering and poor healing, that suggests something is affecting nerves and/or circulation — exactly what Clarke was reported to be dealing with.

Does the surgery fix it?

The aim of Clarke’s surgery was to correct the underlying vascular problem (the aneurysm) that was disrupting normal circulation and likely contributing to both numbness and the persistent blistering pattern. Reports indicate that is expected to alleviate those issues — and also help his ability to control pitches, since fingertip sensation and consistent grip are critical for command.

So yes — it’s reasonable and expected that addressing the aneurysm could permanently resolve the circulation-related symptoms that contributed to his, quote, “nagging blister issues and numbness” rather than having to treat blisters as an isolated issue. In other words:

The blisters themselves weren’t necessarily the root problem.

The vascular issue was.

Fixing that issue gives the best chance of long-term improvement.

However, as with all surgeries, complete success can vary by individual and recovery — but the medical logic is sound.

Again, the blisters are not directly related to his circulatory problem. Fact.

[General]

The circulatory issue was a contributing factor to the blisters. He got the procedure to solve the problem.

The circulatory issue did indeed contribute to the damage which caused blistering and was keeping the blisters from healing properly. This caused the extended time off while the blisters healed.

No. Blisters are formed from friction, heat and moisture

It'd be a lot easier to have a convo with you if you weren't such a richard all the time (and wrong). Dwain is smart enough to understand the problem is with the healing of the blisters and not the formation of them. Poor circulation reduces bloodflow to the hand which impacts the healing. Hence, it's a contributing factor to them and he gets the procedure to fix them.

See how easy that is? Now G[od] F[orgives] Y[ou].

Edit: God Forgives You. Lolz. I love it! Great job mods!

Horse [shirt].

That's just baloney. These weren't blood blisters or ulcers, they were blisters formed in the upper derma of the skin. LoL

Jumping Jesus in a pogo stick

I gotta give you credit for doubling down on stupid. See below.

What happened

Clarke recently underwent a surgical procedure to address poor circulation in his fingers that had been affecting him since entering professional baseball.

The circulation problems were linked to an aneurysm in his left arm — an abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that can disrupt smooth blood flow.

Those issues manifested as numbness in his fingers and persistent blister problems while pitching.

Why this is medically relevant

This is how Clarke’s situation was interpreted by the Cardinals’ medical staff and reported in the press:

Vascular compromise can affect fingertip health and healing
If blood flow is impaired — for example by an aneurysm that alters circulation — the soft tissues in the hand (especially fingertips) may not get optimal oxygen and nutrients. That can lead to slower healing and make the skin more susceptible to breakdown with the repetitive friction pitchers experience from seams. Blister problems that don’t heal normally plus numbness would point clinicians toward a neurovascular cause rather than just mechanical friction alone.

Numbness is a red flag for neurovascular issues
Pure blisters typically don’t cause numbness. When numbness appears alongside blistering and poor healing, that suggests something is affecting nerves and/or circulation — exactly what Clarke was reported to be dealing with.

Does the surgery fix it?

The aim of Clarke’s surgery was to correct the underlying vascular problem (the aneurysm) that was disrupting normal circulation and likely contributing to both numbness and the persistent blistering pattern. Reports indicate that is expected to alleviate those issues — and also help his ability to control pitches, since fingertip sensation and consistent grip are critical for command.

So yes — it’s reasonable and expected that addressing the aneurysm could permanently resolve the circulation-related symptoms that contributed to his, quote, “nagging blister issues and numbness” rather than having to treat blisters as an isolated issue. In other words:

The blisters themselves weren’t necessarily the root problem.

The vascular issue was.

Fixing that issue gives the best chance of long-term improvement.

However, as with all surgeries, complete success can vary by individual and recovery — but the medical logic is sound.

Again, the blisters are not directly related to his circulatory problem. Fact.

The formulation of the blisters, no one said were in any way related. The inability for them to heal timely? Directly related to the circulatory problem.

[billybaseball]

We would not have been able to get an arm with Clarke's talent for Sonny Gray without some question marks. The Cardinals found a potential answer to his main issue. That's a great thing. He has unquestionable #1 upside so the risk is 100% worth the cost.

[Clubmaker2]

two seconds on google seems to indicate there may be a preventive assistance, not just healing

Yes, poor circulation makes it easier for blisters to form, particularly on the feet and legs, because reduced blood flow weakens the skin, impairs its ability to heal, and can cause nerve damage that makes you less likely to notice friction. Poor circulation means less oxygen reaches the skin, which makes tissues more fragile and susceptible to damag

e.

[renostl]

I really think that some Cardinals fans have the right to be upset that the team has traded away two of their best players, and a future Hall of Famer for a group of often injured lottery ticket prospects, and an often injured free agent signing. Just as other Cardinal fans can be ok with moving these players, along with millions of dollars for said prospects, and an upside starter, when he is healthy. There are obviously two different camps here with different opinions. Just as there seems to be two different camps when it came to the Cardinals’ ability to compete before these trades happened. One camp saw a .500 team that was going no where. The other camp saw a .500 team that with two or three key additions could be a 90+ win team. We’ll never really know which camp was correct, because the veteran players are gone, and possibly more to come. We will have to wait and see how the prospects turn out. Some longer than others.
With the Katie Woo article, it should erase any doubt as to what the main goal has been all along. Reduce payroll!
Where doubt does remain, is where will the DeWitts set the budget after the CBA is done. Again, we have two camps. One thinks it will never go back to where it was and the other camp thinks it will, eventually. On this we will all just have to wait and see.
What I think both camps can mostly agree on is that the Cardinals aren’t going to be competing for a championship any time soon.

Maybe things are not so black and white. There were 3 deals here.
Each one was slightly different and what happens if each player was individually left on the team.

IMO
NA wanted out for at least 18 months. My opinion there unlikely to change.

Players that make more need to produce more or be surrounded by players producing more.
That's not the case or we wouldn't be calling them the Cardinals best players.
Being the best player on the team means less than ARE they producing up to the
standard set by the contract? At catcher WC almost did, not 1B. Almost because
he was another player that doesn't show up to work as often as he should averaging 115 games a season
in St. louis, normal for his career, with only 2 seasons of contract left and at a position that blocks
the 1B/DH/C group of players.

SG probably represents the player that could provide the most production to his position. The issues
are he was only 1 guy when the Cards need several.
He's essentially a rental and was owed a large $40M for '26 and '27 combined. Nobody here would
want the Cards to sign 1 36 y/o SP to a 1-year contract at $40 and then watch him walk at the end of
this 2026 season.

A Flawed roster and the 3 traded weren't and can't be part of a solution for different reasons.
Sure, it's decreasing payroll. It is also cleaning the roster of players that aren't a part of
the fix. The same would be true if each made less. Guys at the end of a career naturally are on larger
contracts.

IF BD is not a projected part of the team past 2027, he should also be dealt. He another player
that is averaging 122 games a season the last 3 seasons. Nootbaar does 120g, Gorman 112g.
3 previous building pieces that always miss a month plus. All 3 easily recognized with limits.
Add Walker and his question marks not really a roster to go all in with. All need to improve,
hopefully they do. BD is at his peak though. He won't gain speed or XBH.

Katie Woo gave a zero answer. 50:50 when only a single outcome is possible.
I think he's gone. With this deal hopefully a small part of the fix returns.

Personally, I’m not upset any of the three were traded. I agree that they probably needed to be. However, because of the deal Mo signed Gray to, it made him virtually worth nothing in return unless the Cardinals paid most of his salary! Which they did!
Arenado, there’s no mystery here either. Cardinals are pretty much just paying him to play for Arizona.
Contreras, however, I don’t understand paying down his contract as much as they did. Oh, I know, to get a better return, but did they?
Yet to be determined.
Basically I was just stating the stance on the two different factions, but truth is both are partly right and both are partly wrong!
Woo more or less said it was to reduce salary, and that’s what they’ve done. That was the goal! Not to accumulate prospects! It’s a total reset until after the CBA is settled. Until then, DeWitt has quit trying.

Gray was owed $40 they paid $20 so half, don't eliminate the 2027 parts
Makes him a $20M SP. Boston further diverted more to lower his
2026 hit. WC also had his 2026 hit lowered. Together about $28M less on 2026 payroll. This gives Boston
more flexibility under the tax. At the time both Bregman and Bichette were possible.
It's possible they don't make deals without having flexibility under the CBA tax. jmo.

I do not agree with Woo's current position and she has stated it different prior.
They did acquired a returns in both trades for now and the future. The money had
to be a portion of it anytime players with some certainty and players without that are in the same trade.

[Carp4Cy]

Clarke, 22, had Tommy John surgery as a high school junior and saw a stint at the University of Alabama ruined by thoracic issues in his left shoulder. Then, he was limited to just 38 innings this year in his first professional season because of repeated finger blisters

.

It was known the blister issues limited his innings......the future..who knows......

This is exactly why proven players > prospects.

You have to Spend the effing $

[scoutyjones2]

The circulatory issue was a contributing factor to the blisters. He got the procedure to solve the problem.

The circulatory issue did indeed contribute to the damage which caused blistering and was keeping the blisters from healing properly. This caused the extended time off while the blisters healed.

No. Blisters are formed from friction, heat and moisture

It'd be a lot easier to have a convo with you if you weren't such a richard all the time (and wrong). Dwain is smart enough to understand the problem is with the healing of the blisters and not the formation of them. Poor circulation reduces bloodflow to the hand which impacts the healing. Hence, it's a contributing factor to them and he gets the procedure to fix them.

See how easy that is? Now G[od] F[orgives] Y[ou].

Edit: God Forgives You. Lolz. I love it! Great job mods!

Horse [shirt].

That's just baloney. These weren't blood blisters or ulcers, they were blisters formed in the upper derma of the skin. LoL

Jumping Jesus in a pogo stick

I gotta give you credit for doubling down on stupid. See below.

What happened

Clarke recently underwent a surgical procedure to address poor circulation in his fingers that had been affecting him since entering professional baseball.

The circulation problems were linked to an aneurysm in his left arm — an abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that can disrupt smooth blood flow.

Those issues manifested as numbness in his fingers and persistent blister problems while pitching.

Why this is medically relevant

This is how Clarke’s situation was interpreted by the Cardinals’ medical staff and reported in the press:

Vascular compromise can affect fingertip health and healing
If blood flow is impaired — for example by an aneurysm that alters circulation — the soft tissues in the hand (especially fingertips) may not get optimal oxygen and nutrients. That can lead to slower healing and make the skin more susceptible to breakdown with the repetitive friction pitchers experience from seams. Blister problems that don’t heal normally plus numbness would point clinicians toward a neurovascular cause rather than just mechanical friction alone.

Numbness is a red flag for neurovascular issues
Pure blisters typically don’t cause numbness. When numbness appears alongside blistering and poor healing, that suggests something is affecting nerves and/or circulation — exactly what Clarke was reported to be dealing with.

Does the surgery fix it?

The aim of Clarke’s surgery was to correct the underlying vascular problem (the aneurysm) that was disrupting normal circulation and likely contributing to both numbness and the persistent blistering pattern. Reports indicate that is expected to alleviate those issues — and also help his ability to control pitches, since fingertip sensation and consistent grip are critical for command.

So yes — it’s reasonable and expected that addressing the aneurysm could permanently resolve the circulation-related symptoms that contributed to his, quote, “nagging blister issues and numbness” rather than having to treat blisters as an isolated issue. In other words:

The blisters themselves weren’t necessarily the root problem.

The vascular issue was.

Fixing that issue gives the best chance of long-term improvement.

However, as with all surgeries, complete success can vary by individual and recovery — but the medical logic is sound.

Again, the blisters are not directly related to his circulatory problem. Fact.

The formulation of the blisters, no one said were in any way related. The inability for them to heal timely? Directly related to the circulatory problem.

bull[shirt]

[Cardinals4Life]

The circulatory issue was a contributing factor to the blisters. He got the procedure to solve the problem.

The circulatory issue did indeed contribute to the damage which caused blistering and was keeping the blisters from healing properly. This caused the extended time off while the blisters healed.

No. Blisters are formed from friction, heat and moisture

It'd be a lot easier to have a convo with you if you weren't such a richard all the time (and wrong). Dwain is smart enough to understand the problem is with the healing of the blisters and not the formation of them. Poor circulation reduces bloodflow to the hand which impacts the healing. Hence, it's a contributing factor to them and he gets the procedure to fix them.

See how easy that is? Now G[od] F[orgives] Y[ou].

Edit: God Forgives You. Lolz. I love it! Great job mods!

Horse [shirt].

That's just baloney. These weren't blood blisters or ulcers, they were blisters formed in the upper derma of the skin. LoL

Jumping Jesus in a pogo stick

I gotta give you credit for doubling down on stupid. See below.

What happened

Clarke recently underwent a surgical procedure to address poor circulation in his fingers that had been affecting him since entering professional baseball.

The circulation problems were linked to an aneurysm in his left arm — an abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that can disrupt smooth blood flow.

Those issues manifested as numbness in his fingers and persistent blister problems while pitching.

Why this is medically relevant

This is how Clarke’s situation was interpreted by the Cardinals’ medical staff and reported in the press:

Vascular compromise can affect fingertip health and healing
If blood flow is impaired — for example by an aneurysm that alters circulation — the soft tissues in the hand (especially fingertips) may not get optimal oxygen and nutrients. That can lead to slower healing and make the skin more susceptible to breakdown with the repetitive friction pitchers experience from seams. Blister problems that don’t heal normally plus numbness would point clinicians toward a neurovascular cause rather than just mechanical friction alone.

Numbness is a red flag for neurovascular issues
Pure blisters typically don’t cause numbness. When numbness appears alongside blistering and poor healing, that suggests something is affecting nerves and/or circulation — exactly what Clarke was reported to be dealing with.

Does the surgery fix it?

The aim of Clarke’s surgery was to correct the underlying vascular problem (the aneurysm) that was disrupting normal circulation and likely contributing to both numbness and the persistent blistering pattern. Reports indicate that is expected to alleviate those issues — and also help his ability to control pitches, since fingertip sensation and consistent grip are critical for command.

So yes — it’s reasonable and expected that addressing the aneurysm could permanently resolve the circulation-related symptoms that contributed to his, quote, “nagging blister issues and numbness” rather than having to treat blisters as an isolated issue. In other words:

The blisters themselves weren’t necessarily the root problem.

The vascular issue was.

Fixing that issue gives the best chance of long-term improvement.

However, as with all surgeries, complete success can vary by individual and recovery — but the medical logic is sound.

Wow, in your face Scouty!
Hahahahahahahahaha
What an idiot!

[hugeCardfan]

Good grief. So the best return Bloom has acquired from his trades is a guy who is already shutdown from ST?

So far Bloom has acquired:

May - injury history galore.
Clarke - Already on the shelf.
Fitts - Meh
Dobbins - Coming of ACL tear.
And a couple unimpressive relief pitchers.

Not a lot to be excited about. Rebuild or reshuffle?

Life may not be worth living for you....

[hugeCardfan]

I just don't understand the negativism on this forum. They diagnosed a problem that probably encouraged the Red Sox to trade a very talented pitcher and did the surgery to repair this issue over the long term. Won't it be something if the blister situation and numbness goes away and suddenly we have #1 starter on our hands. The rehab cost may be no more than this spring; he wouldn't be starting for us this year anyway.

[JuanAgosto]

Good grief. So the best return Bloom has acquired from his trades is a guy who is already shutdown from ST?

So far Bloom has acquired:

May - injury history galore.
Clarke - Already on the shelf.
Fitts - Meh
Dobbins - Coming of ACL tear.
And a couple unimpressive relief pitchers.

Not a lot to be excited about. Rebuild or reshuffle?

Life may not be worth living for you....

Because I question the moves Bloom has made? Your response is my life isn't worth living? What an (donkey)(pit). My life is a lot better than yours.

[Goldfan]

I just don't understand the negativism on this forum. They diagnosed a problem that probably encouraged the Red Sox to trade a very talented pitcher and did the surgery to repair this issue over the long term. Won't it be something if the blister situation and numbness goes away and suddenly we have #1 starter on our hands. The rehab cost may be no more than this spring; he wouldn't be starting for us this year anyway.

You don’t understand getting currently damaged goods that had to have surgery on his pitching arm attempting to correct numbness from a circulatory issues caused by an aneurysm??
Why didn’t Sox do this corrective surgery?
There are signs and hints of trouble and when posters like myself point them out they’re labeled as “always negative” “having agenda” “a troll”
And then it’s made public that in this case the oft injured pitcher has a serious circulatory issue in his arm that requires surgery.
Young Dobbins has the same ACL repair twice……the last I looked he isn’t a running back or or Olympic speed skater or soccer player
Seem obvious now that Boston dumped a couple injury risks that they didn’t wish to deal with any longer.

[rightthinker4]

St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Brandon Clarke underwent surgery in January 2026 to address severe, long-term circulation issues in his fingers, caused by an aneurysm in his left arm. The procedure aims to alleviate numbness and, following recovery, he will be slowly eased into throwing programs during spring training.
Key Details Regarding the Injury:
Cause: The issues were identified as an aneurysm in his arm causing circulation problems and numbness, which had plagued him with blisters since starting his professional career.
Procedure: Surgery was performed to address the, and he is now focused on range-of-motion exercises and regaining strength in his arm.
Impact: The surgery will delay his start to spring training, making his 2026 season debut uncertain.

This doesn’t sound so great. The one real talent returned in those Boston trades has a circulation issue in his pitching arm.

Why did it take so long to find the cause of the problems he’s been having? I’m assuming the Cardinals knew of this.

[Cusecards]

I just don't understand the negativism on this forum. They diagnosed a problem that probably encouraged the Red Sox to trade a very talented pitcher and did the surgery to repair this issue over the long term. Won't it be something if the blister situation and numbness goes away and suddenly we have #1 starter on our hands. The rehab cost may be no more than this spring; he wouldn't be starting for us this year anyway.

Stop trying to figure it out my friend.
Not worth worrying about. Let them be miserable.
Enjoy the season!

[redbirdfan51]

I was aware of the blisters issues. Did Bloom know that Clarke would need surgery prior to the trade?

[Ozziesfan41]

I was aware of the blisters issues. Did Bloom know that Clarke would need surgery prior to the trade?

I’m sure he did. The cardinals probably reviewed his medical assessments saw the problem saw with surgery it would be a correctable so pulled the trigger I don’t think it’s that big of a deal