Source: Richards needs Tommy John surgery

ANAHEIM — The Angels, already dealing with an assortment of injuries throughout their starting rotation, have been dealt a serious blow, with news circulating that their best starting pitcher, Garrett Richards, will require season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

The development was first reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports and confirmed via sources to MLB.com on Friday morning. The Angels have not confirmed or commented on the report, but they were expected to provide an update on Richards’ condition later on Friday. If Richards opts for the procedure, which is considered inevitable at this point, he’d be out until at least the middle of the 2017 season.

Passan also reported that Andrew Heaney, who began the season as the Angels’ No. 2 starter, has a damaged UCL, though the club remains confident that he can continue to rehab without surgery.

Richards exited his Sunday start in Texas after only 79 pitches with what the Angels initially deemed to be dehydration and cramping, then he skipped his between-starts bullpen session and indicated after Wednesday’s game that he was dealing with general fatigue. But doctors found a tear in Richards’ UCL on Thursday, prompting the team to scratch him from his scheduled Friday start against the Rays. He was replaced by long reliever Cory Rasmus.

Richards’ UCL tear is considered large enough to require surgery, but he will nonetheless seek a second opinion, a source said.

Heaney received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow late last week, one that will prevent him from throwing for at least six weeks, and the Angels are hopeful that it will negate the need for Tommy John surgery. General manager Billy Eppler said “the …

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