According to Cincinnati Enquirer’s Zach Buchanan, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani will be shut down for four weeks with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
This news is following reports of the pitcher experiencing elbow soreness a couple weeks back.
The 26-year-old was originally named the Opening Day starter, but that idyllic narrative may be altered by this new development.
DeSclafani finished his 2016 campaign with a 3.28 ERA and was clearly the top pitcher on the Reds team. He decreased his BB/9-rate while increasing his strikeout rate last season, which added to his fantasy value. But the team was nowhere near any type of postseason play, with or without him.
If he does land on the disabled list at the start of the season, it would be the second year in a row in which this has occurred.