While the 2016 season is still going, the New York Yankees’ 2017 season is already off to a bad start. Starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi will undergo two surgeries, including his second Tommy John Surgery. He will miss the entire 2017 season.
https://twitter.com/ESPNNYYankees/status/765648344249171968
Eovaldi was having an inconsistent 2016 season. In 124.2 innings, he’d posted a 4.76 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts. If we eliminate his dismal performance in June, however, Eovaldi’s ERA and WHIP are a much more respectable 3.74 and 1.18.
The 2017 season will be Eovaldi’s final arbitration year. By the time he’s able to pitch again in 2018, he will be a free agent. At that point, he’ll certainly have a long way to go to show teams that he’s ready to pitch again.
The good news for Eovaldi is that he’s still young. When he’s ready to return to action in 2018, the right hander will only be 28.
Eovaldi’s first Tommy John Surgery came when he was in high school. Recovery from a second Tommy John Surgery normally takes 14-18 months. He has a career ERA of 4.21 and a WHIP of 1.38.