Ryan Braun Experiencing Numbness In Thumb

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Braun‘s thumb injury has returned, and this time, it has the Brewers’ slugger wondering about surgery.

According to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, Braun has a nerve problem in his right thumb, which is causing him to feel numbness. Braun is having a hard time telling how hard he is holding on to the ball, thus resulting in blisters.

Braun began dealing with thumb issues last season and was placed on the 15-day disabled list in June. When he came back, Braun used different padding on the bat and put extra padding in his glove, and that seemed to help. Coming into spring training in 2014, Braun said the thumb felt good.

“The thumb feels pretty good,” Braun said via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in February. It’s a lot better than it was.”

Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

“It’s the same thing,” Braun said. The nerve is messed up so my whole thumb is numb, so I can’t feel gripping the ball or the bat. So I gripped it too hard and I have crazy bruises and blisters.”

Braun will be the designated hitter in today’s game as the Brewers take on the Boston Red Sox, in an effort to relieve some stress on his thumb.