▁was ▁shut ▁down ▁because ▁of ▁infl amm ation . ▁He ▁visited ▁sur geon ▁Dr . ▁James ▁Andrew s ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁diagn osis ▁that ▁confirmed ▁the ▁infl amm ation ▁and ▁didn ' t ▁find ▁any ▁struct ural ▁damage . ▁L itsch ▁received ▁a ▁plate let - rich ▁pl as mas ▁( PR P ) ▁injection ▁to ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁he aling ▁process . ▁The ▁injection ▁caused ▁an ▁unexpected ▁serious ▁in fection , ▁and ▁L itsch ▁was ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁throw ▁for ▁six ▁weeks ▁after ▁under going ▁emer gency ▁surg ery . ▁The ▁in fection ▁s idel ined ▁him ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁season . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Blue ▁J ays ▁announced ▁that ▁L itsch ▁was ▁coming ▁off ▁the ▁ 6 0 - day ▁disabled ▁list , ▁but ▁had ▁chosen ▁free ▁ag ency ▁over ▁an ▁assignment ▁to ▁their ▁Tri ple - A ▁affili ate ▁Buff alo ▁B isons . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁L itsch ▁was ▁await ing ▁b one - gra ft ▁and ▁cart il age ▁replacement ▁surg ery ▁from ▁a ▁don or ▁cada ver , ▁and ▁his ▁career ▁was ▁in ▁serious ▁je op ard y . ▁The ▁surg ery ▁was ▁performed ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁and ▁L itsch ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁hope ful ▁to ▁pitch ▁winter ▁ball ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 2