Four days ago, on Sunday, the Miami Marlins placed right-handed pitcher Max Meyer on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain.
The team was fearing the worst, and they had reasons to do that.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis that nobody wanted to hear was confirmed on Thursday.
“#Marlins Max Meyer’s MRI on Monday revealed a tear in his UCL. He will undergo Tommy John surgery by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in L.A. Date TBD. Near future,” MLB.com’s Marlins beat writer Christina De Nicola tweeted.
#Marlins Max Meyer's MRI on Monday revealed a tear in his UCL.
He will undergo Tommy John surgery by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in L.A. Date TBD. Near future. @MLBPipeline
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) July 28, 2022
The UCL, or ulnar collateral ligament, is most important in pitching: when it’s damaged, surgery is needed.
Meyer, one of the best and most promising pitching prospects in the National league, is now set to undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery.
The procedure will take him out of action for the next 14-16 months at the very least.
He Will Be Out For A While
There is a chance he comes back in September 2023, but the most likely scenario has him being out until spring training of 2024.
The pitcher began experiencing right elbow discomfort during his second career MLB start last weekend versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The MRI that revealed a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament was performed on Monday, but teams usually look for second and even third opinions before making the decision to go for surgery.
The 23-year-old right-hander leaves behind a 7.50 ERA in six innings in MLB, but a much more decent 3.72 mark in Triple-A.
He was a top-100 prospect in just about every publication available.
He remains a big piece in the Marlins’ puzzle, so they are going to have to be patient and wait for his return.
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