Ben Brown (neck) has yet to be cleared to resume throwing, according to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma.

Perhaps the most alarming detail from Sharma’s report is that future surgery to address Brown’s lingering neck issue remains a possibility. The 27-year-old was in the midst of a breakthrough campaign before a stress reaction in his neck landed him on the injured list in mid-June. He appeared to be making progress toward a late-season return before a recurrence of symptoms ultimately ended those hopes. The fact that he still hasn’t been cleared to begin an offseason throwing program is another concerning development. Unfortunately, the impending lockout figures leave fantasy managers without any meaningful updates on his prognosis.