Yu Darvish is considering Tommy John surgery.
The Texas Rangers announced Saturday that Darvish’s MRI revealed a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The 28-year-old pitcher and team doctors have discussed potential treatment options, and Tommy John surgery is a realistic possibility.
Darvish is seeking a second opinion, but the ace will be sidelined for the entire 2015 season if he opts for Tommy John. The best-case scenario if Darvish chooses to rest and rehab the ligament likely entails returning around the All-Star break.
“I will be disappointed if I have to miss this season, but I want to look at all the options, including getting a second opinion, before I make a final decision,” Darvish said in a statement released by the Rangers on Saturday. “In the meantime, my heart is with my teammates, and our focus remains on accomplishing our goals for the season.”
Darvish, who exited his spring training debut Thursday with tightness in his right triceps, also dealt with inflammation in his UCL ligament in 2014. The right-hander missed the final six weeks of the season.
“This is a significantly more severe injury,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “I think it’s in everybody’s best interests to go through the process of getting a second opinion and going through all the steps so that Yu can make a decision in short order.”
Daniels didn’t rule out Darvish returning for Opening Day 2016 if he opts for Tommy John surgery.
Darvish has been an All-Star each of his first three seasons since coming over from Japan. He finished second in American League Cy Young voting in 2013 and went 10-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 22 starts in 2014.
Thumbnail photo via Allan Henry/USA TODAY Sports Images
