Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez felt some discomfort in his right elbow after his most recent start on Friday, and we have now learned that he is expected to require season-ending surgery to correct the problem.
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The 21-year-old ace has been baseball’s best pitcher over the first month and a half of the season. He’s 4-2 with a 2.44 earned run average, a 0.95 WHIP and a .188 batting average against. Fernandez also has a league-leading 70 strikeouts in 50 and 2/3 innings pitched.
Led by Fernandez’s stellar start to the season, Miami entered Monday’s games with a 20-18 record, just two games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
This also is a huge loss for the sport. Fernandez, who won the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year and was on track for a Cy Young Award this season, is one of the league’s best young players and the type of pitcher fans pay high ticket prices to watch.
