Rays Ace Tyler Glasnow Lands On Injured List With Partial UCL Tear

It’s not looking good for Tyler Glasnow and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Glasnow on Tuesday was placed on the 10-day injured list with a partial UCL tear and flexor strain in his throwing arm and is out indefinitely. The American League Cy Young Award contender exited Monday’s start against the Chicago White Sox after feeling “a little tug” and “a pull” in his right elbow.

“It was just probably better for me to not go out and throw again,” Glasnow said after the game, via Rays.com.

A timeline for Glasnow’s return will be determined after further medical evaluation.

Obviously, there’s a chance Glasnow’s absence is short-term and that he makes a speedy recovery. However, UCL tears sometimes serve as precursors to Tommy John surgery.

That Glasnow wasn’t immediately ruled out for the season means nothing. During spring training, top Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata was sidelined with a UCL tear, with plans for a throwing program and eventual return to pitching this season.

Just over a month after initially suffering the injury, Mata underwent Tommy John surgery.

Consider these tweets:

So, this story might not be over. Suffice to say, Glasnow and the Rays are holding their collective breath.

Glasnow, one of the best pitchers in baseball, is 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA this season for the American League East-leading Rays.