Padres' Cosart to have elbow surgery; should be OK for '17

Padres right-hander Jarred Cosart will have surgery on his right elbow, but he isn't expected to miss any time, Padres manager Andy Green announced Friday.
The right-hander, who will enter Spring Training with a chance to win a spot in a wide-open rotation race, has a bone spur in his elbow, and the procedure will be done to "remove some loose bodies" from the area. Recovery time is projected for six weeks.
"He should be back, no problem, heading into the season," Green said. "I think six weeks was the number I heard, so that is the expectation. It shouldn't jeopardize anything for him for the 2017 season."
Cosart will undergo the procedure at some point next week. It will largely depend on the Dodgers' postseason schedule, as team doctor Neal ElAttrache is slated to perform the surgery.
Acquired from the Marlins at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, Cosart made nine appearances for the Padres, posting a 6.03 ERA. He was unable to make his final start after complaining of elbow soreness in a Sept. 24 outing against the Giants.
Johnson headed for surgery
As murky as the Padres' 2017 rotation picture is, this much is clear: Right-hander Erik Johnson will not be a part of it.
He underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this week and will miss the entire season.
The Padres acquired Johnson in the James Shields trade in early June, along with shortstop prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. Johnson made four starts with San Diego and was hit hard, allowing 20 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.
The Padres had high hopes for Johnson, who was once a highly touted prospect in the farm system of the White Sox. But the 26-year-old right-hander has largely struggled at the big league level, posting a 5.28 ERA over four seasons.
Ross' status still unclear
The Padres' biggest rotation question entering the 2017 season remains the status of ace Tyson Ross. The right-hander pitched on Opening Day, but he missed the remainder of the '16 season with an inflamed shoulder.

"He saw a doctor a few days back and saw a specialist," Green said. "They are all supposed to get together on a conference call and determine the best course of action. He has been all around the country seeing a number of specialists. ... There is a possibility that he has a procedure where he is ready for the 2017 season."
Ross will be a free agent following the 2017 season. In four years with the Padres, he owns a 3.16 ERA with 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.