OTF Premium Texas 2B Ethan Mendoza injures throwing shoulder in loss to Tennessee

[Jeff Howe]

Beyond suffering a 5-1 road loss to Tennessee in Friday’s series opener at Lindsay Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, No. 4 Texas faces an immediate future with Ethan Mendoza’s status up in the air.

The junior second baseman left the game after an awkward landing while diving for a ball hit in his direction off the bat of Volunteers second baseman Blake Grimmer. Mendoza tried to shake off what Jim Schlossnagle confirmed after the game is a shoulder injury, but he left the field and was replaced in the lineup by Callum Early.

Schlossnagle didn’t have anything else concrete on Mendoza’s injury, telling Roger Wallace during his postgame radio interview that the injury is to Mendoza’s throwing shoulder (a team source told On Texas Football late Friday that there was no definitive word on the extent of the injury).

“He’s in a fair amount of discomfort. We’ll just have to take it day by day and see if he’s able to — I can’t imagine he’ll be able to throw anytime soon. Maybe, he’ll be able to hit.”

While Early stayed in the game for the second and third innings, he was lifted in the top of the fourth for Josh Livingston. Livingston stayed in the game after beating Tennessee’s shift with a bunt single down the third-base side of the infield, occupying first base, with Casey Borba moving to third base and Temo Becerra sliding over to second. It’s a similar configuration to the one Texas (36-11, 15-9 SEC) utilized when Adrian Rodriguez was sidelined after getting the staple in his surgically-repaired hand removed.

That’s likely the mix the Longhorns will go with as long as Mendoza is out of the lineup. Mendoza, who struck out swinging in his only at-bat of the game, entered the series hitting .278 (50-for-180) with 12 doubles, eight home runs, one triple, 40 RBI and an .844 OPS.

Texas and Tennessee will continue their three-game series in Knoxville on Saturday at 5 p.m. (SEC Network+).

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[CJ Vogel]

Going to need a healthy Mendoza for the remainder of the season. Would be devastating

[PaulieD]

Just need to get him healed up in time for playoffs.  We will be fine, CJ.

[HookedOnTF]

Does Dr Shin do shoulders?!

[CJ Vogel]

1 hour ago, PaulieD said:

Just need to get him healed up in time for playoffs.  We will be fine, CJ.

Any extended time after that would be very bad for this time. Lineup has enough holes as is at the moment.

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, HookedOnTF said:

Does Dr Shin do shoulders?!

Hopefully, this doesn't result in a trip to Dallas to see Dr. Cooper.

[HornPharmD12]

What’s the deal with Pendergrass? Has done well in limited action. I know he had a minor injury but from limited sources seems he should be good to play again?

[Han Soul Hole]

7uck...

[Jim]

It looked like the discomfort was when he raised his arm above his head so it might still be possible for him to swing without some discomfort. 

[Jeff Howe]

2 hours ago, HornPharmD12 said:

What’s the deal with Pendergrass? Has done well in limited action. I know he had a minor injury but from limited sources seems he should be good to play again?

It was a back issue. 

[Jarveaux]

This baseball season has been dissappointing to this point.

[Califashorn75]

Who is the back up?

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, Jarveaux said:

This baseball season has been dissappointing to this point.

I wouldn't call winning 36 of 47 games and being in second place in the toughest conference in the country disappointing.

[Jeff Howe]

21 minutes ago, Califashorn75 said:

Who is the back up?

It's Duplantier today.

[Jarveaux]

32 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

I wouldn't call winning 36 of 47 games and being in second place in the toughest conference in the country disappointing.

Meant no disrespect. Just got excited for the way our girls played. Our first SEC championship for our softball team. What a game . 

[Jarveaux]

I will definitely be pulling for our men’s baseball team to win the SEC championship. 

[Jeff Howe]

FWIW, Schloss said in his pregame radio interview that he doesn't think this shoulder injury is as bad as the one Mendoza suffered last season.

[Game of the Century]

I have season tickets and go to every home game. The UT baseball team is very good, but they are not elite.  
 
I think they have a chance to get to Omaha. But frankly, I have seen nothing about this team that tells me it’s the one that will go all the way.  Too many holes in the hitting lineup, too much inconsistency out of the bullpen, and too much bad injury luck.  Losing Jonah Williams right off the bat did not help.

 I’m hoping for the best, but I do not expect miracles. A trip to Omaha would be a step in the right direction. 
 

 

[Gerald Nash]

Need a win today to salvage the series. Getting swept would not be a good look.

[PaulieD]

12 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

I wouldn't call winning 36 of 47 games and being in second place in the toughest conference in the country disappointing.

I would ask everyone to remember back a few years, where we were hoping and praying that we would get into the post season and get lucky somehow; things are real good right now.