Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today Sports
The hits keep coming for the struggling Los Angeles Angels. Currently two games under .500 and closer to last place than first place in the American League West, the team is now likely going to be without ace pitcher Garrett Richards for the next year-plus.
According to Yahoo Sports! MLB insider Jeff Passan, Richards has a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow and will likely undergo Tommy John surgery.
The injury was reportedly found after Richards was scratched from Friday’s start with what’s being described as dehydration and fatigue.
If he does undergo this procedure, Richards will likely be out until midway through the 2017 campaign.
Despite boasting a 1-3 record this season, the 27-year-old Richards posted a solid 2.34 ERA with 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings in a MLB-leading six starts prior to the injury.
With Richards now on the shelf, the Angels are going to have to dig deep to improve off their slow start to the season.
That’s only magnified by related news suggesting that left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney is currently in the disabled list with what’s being called a a strained flexor muscle.
Yahoo is also reporting that Heaney damaged his UCL and is attempting to avoid Tommy John surgery himself.