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Richards likely to need Tommy John surgery
- Updated: May 6, 2016
ANAHEIM — The Angels, already dealing with an assortment of injuries throughout their starting rotation, have been dealt a serious blow, with news that their best starting pitcher, Garrett Richards, will likely require season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a high-grade torn ulnar collateral ligament, general manager Billy Eppler announced on Friday.
The right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He will get a second opinion, from Dr. James Andrews, before deciding on surgery.
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.
The development was first reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports and confirmed via sources to MLB.com on Friday morning.
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.
Heaney was transferred to the 60-day DL. In other moves, the Angels selected right-hander Javy Guerra to the Major League roster; reinstated outfielder Daniel Nava from the DL; and optioned outfielder Rafael Ortega to Triple-A Salt Lake.
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.
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. Eppler said “the findings from multiple doctors ranged from normal wear and tear consistent with age and usage, to some degree of tear” with Heaney, who is on the disabled list with what the team initially called a …
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