KOBE (Kyodo) Orix Buffaloes right-hander Chihiro Kaneko will miss the start of the 2011 season after he was diagnosed with bone chips in his right elbow, team trainer Akihiro Izutsu revealed on Monday.
Kaneko, who shared the Pacific League title with a 17 wins last season, will require from two to three months to recover after undergoing surgery to remove the bone fragments on Wednesday.
Kakeko complained of discomfort in his right elbow on Monday morning and returned from spring training to undergo an examination at a Kobe hospital.
"He won't make it in time for the season opener. There's nothing that can be done about that," said Orix manager Akinobu Okada. "He'll be back in May or when interleague play starts," he said.