CARSON, Calif. – A.J. DeLaGarza’s Washington, D.C. homecoming was cut short due to an elbow injury, but he’s determined not to allow the same thing to happen to his season.
DeLaGarza suffered a dislocated left elbow in the opening minutes of LA’s 2-2 draw against D.C. United, cutting short his return to D.C. after just 10 minutes.
“It’s a little bit unfortunate, just one of those things man,” said DeLaGarza, who is wearing a cast on his left arm to prevent movement. “It’s just unfortunate, I can’t even explain it, and it’s more upsetting that I haven’t been there in two years. Injuries happen and I guess it’s just frustrating that it happened there and so early. …It’s doing better, it’s back in its right spot so that’s good but it’s got to take time to heal and get better.”
Although DeLaGarza’s exit disappointed the more than 200 family members that he had in the stands at RFK, he’s optimistic that he’ll be able to return to the field before the end of the postseason. DeLaGarza has continued to be present at Galaxy training and is hopeful that he can return, particularly after missing out on the 2012 playoffs after suffering a left MCL sprain last September.
“I’m sure about three weeks they said, until it gets really healed,” said DeLaGarza. “Potentially it could pop back out within those three weeks then you got to start the process all over again so that’s why it’s in a cast right now so no setbacks can happen. …
“I don’t want to twice the playoffs two years in a row,” added DeLaGarza. “That’s my goal to rehab and we have five weeks left in the season so I can still run and do ball work and all that stuff. It’s just being ready when my arm is ready.”
