When Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2013, he had hopes of returning to the Dodgers starting rotation around June of this year. But after only one rehab start with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on June 8, Billingsley was shut down for elbow discomfort. The cause was a partially torn flexor tendon in his right elbow that required a second surgery, thus ending any hopes of returning in 2014.

Three weeks after his only rehab start on June 8, 2014, Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley underwent a second elbow surgery. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Prior to Wednesday night’s NL West-clinching game against the Giants, the extremely likable 30-year-old Defiance, Ohio native said that he hasn’t begun throwing yet but hopes to be ready by spring training 2015.

“I’ve still got awhile,” said Billingsley. “Somewhere around the end of November so I’ve got a few more months.”

Even though Billingsley hasn’t starting throwing yet, he has been working out and says that he will have a ‘normal’ off-season.

“Shoulder exercising, running and lower body work a lot,” said Billingsley. “It’s mostly just waiting allowing my surgery to heal on its own and start throwing by the end of November and be ready by spring training.”

There is, of course, one minor detail – who will Billingsley be throwing for at spring training 2015?

Billingsley’s three-year/$35 million contract with the Dodgers expires at the end of this season. And though the Dodgers hold a $14 million team option for the 2015 season, there are questions as to whether or not they will exercise this option or instead utilize their $3 Million buyout. After all, Billingsley has spent more than half of that 36-month contract on the disabled list and has made exactly two major league starts since 2012 due to his two surgeries.

“I am not really thinking about that,” Billingsley told L.A. Daily News reporter J.P. Hoornstra. “I’ve gone through scenarios in my head like what I’m going to do. I don’t know. If I spend too much time worrying about that, I’m taking the focus off my arm and my rehab. That’s what’s going to get me to next year. If I worry about re-signing back here or going to another club, that stuff isn’t going to mean anything if my arm doesn’t work.”

As for that ‘normal’ off-season thing, Billingsley is clearly focused.

“In talking with Dr. [Neil] ElAttrache it’s not going to be any quicker,” said Billingsley. “It’s going to be like a normal off-season throwing program. Normally after this kind of surgery it’s three months before you can start throwing, that’s when your tendon surgery is healed. There’s no rush for me to start throwing now because there’s no need to, just push it back a couple months to give me plenty of time to heal and just start a normal throwing program.

“When I was healthy I would start throwing somewhere around Thanksgiving time,” added Billingsley. “That’s when I start picking up a baseball and I’ll throw for a few weeks three times a week and then in December and January I’ll start throwing every day and throw off the mound a little, three or four times and it will be spring training.”

Is it worth the gamble for the Dodgers to exercise their $14 million option on an unproven Billingsley? If he makes a complete recovery and comes back strong it could be a heck of a bargain for a young number four or number five starter. But if he ends up in the bullpen, $14 million is a bit steep for a middle reliever.

Another thing to consider is that Billingsley’s agent, former Dodgers pitcher Dave Stewart, was named as the Arizona Diamondbacks new general manager on Wednesday morning. And even though Stewart has relinquished his agent role to his partner, former Pittsburgh Pirates great Dave Parker, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Stewart will actively pursue his former client who he would most likely get a discount on – certainly less than $14 million for a one-year deal.

“I don’t know if I’ll stay with his company or whatever, or go my own separate way,” Billingsley told Hoornstra about remaining with Stewart’s former agency. “It’s going to happen fast. It’ll work itself out.”

As for leaving the only organization he has ever known, Billingsley was rather sentimental about his feelings.

“I’ve been here for more than a third of my life.”