CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs pitcher Mike Harkey, who was making a comeback from shoulder surgery, ruptured a tendon in his left knee Sunday doing a cartwheel in the outfield, and is lost for the season.
Harkey suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his left knee during the pre-game warmups, and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for tests with game-day physician Dr. Mark Bowen. Cubs Manager Jim Lefebvre said Harkey will likely undergo surgery this week, possibly as early as Monday.
'It's real bad. He's done for the year,' Lefebvre said. 'It's real severe.'
At first, it was believed Harkey injured himself slipping on the dugout concrete steps en route to the Cubs' clubhouse after batting practice. But Lefebvre clarified that.
'What they tell me is he was running his wind sprints, and he got caught up in the (bleacher) crowd and did a cartwheel,' Lefebvre said.
Harkey, 4-0 since being activated from the disabled list on July 20, was scheduled to pitch Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Right-hander Shawn Boskie, 5-7, will replace him in the rotation.
'It just devastated the club,' Lefebvre said.
'It was a pretty somber clubhouse before the game,' Cubs pitcher Jim Bullinger said. 'He's (Harkey) worked so hard to come back from shoulder surgery -- this is tough.'
Harkey had made only four starts last season before undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery May 2, 1991. His start on July 20 was his first since April 26, 1991.
He finished the season with a 1.89 ERA, giving up 34 hits in 38 innings over seven starts.
On July 26, in his second start, he picked up his first win since Aug. 17, 1990, when he beat Houston 8-5. Harkey's longest outing this season was seven innings on Aug. 14, also against the Astros. In his last start Aug. 20 against San Francisco, Harkey was the winner, giving up two hits and one run in 5 1-3 innings.
