The St. Louis Cardinals are dealt a major blow when the top-ranked pitching prospect in MLB, Alex Reyes, will sit out the 2017 season, as he will undergo a Tommy John surgery to repair his elbow. Michael Wacha, Reyes' supposed challenger for the fifth spot, will likely be the starter.
According to a report from the official website of the Cardinals, an MRI has revealed that the ulnar collateral ligament of Reyes' right elbow has suffered from a complete tear. The team's physician, Dr. George Paletta confirmed the MRI results, but the team sent it for a second opinion to Dr. James Andrew, which they believe won't change the diagnosis.
The report said that the team was first made known of the discomfort in Reyes' arm late last week when the pitcher told them. But Reyes was diagnosed with an elbow strain in 2013 and he has been pitching with the compromised ligament since.
The Cardinals performed a physical exam on the pitcher then recommended the imaging scan. General Manager John Mozeliak said that Dr. Paletta will perform the surgery on Reyes and it will likely be done on Thursday.
"It's obviously very disappointing," Mozeliak said. "We had very high expectations for him, but I guess if you're going to look from a timing standpoint, he has a year to do his rehab and get everything that he's dealing with under control.
The report said that Reyes was ranked by the MLBPipeline as the top pitching prospect and the number 6 prospect overall. He was expected to compete for the fifth starter spot during this Spring Training.
But with Reyes sidelined, it seems that Wacha will be the likely season-opening starter, according to a report from St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They said that some within the Cardinals organization are saying Wacha to be the likely starter.
The report adds that Wacha is coming back from a chronic shoulder injury and the Cardinals want to see health from him. Though he likely ascends as the leader for the fifth spot, the team is unsure if his shoulder can handle the starter's workload.
Luke Weaver and Trevor Rosenthal are the other candidates for the fifth starter position in the Cardinal's pitching lineup. Check out the highlights of Alex Reyes' first career strikeout.
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