Less than two weeks after the Padres placed player Robbie Erlin on the 15-day disabled list, the team has announced the left-handed pitcher will undergo Tommy John surgery.
Erlin was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, April 21 with a left elbow strain.
The player will now undergo the surgery to fix a tear in his UCL, manager Andy Green announced.
The surgery means Erlin will be out for the rest of 2016 season and likely the start of the 2017 season as well.
Green says it’s definitely a hard blow to the Padres and he empathizes with Erlin.
"I hate to lose Robbie like that," Green said. "Just from a human perspective, the guy’s invested his life in being a major league pitcher. He was throwing the ball very well and then he has something like this happen.”
According to Green, Erlin went through rehabilitation for his elbow twice before and thought it was enough to help him play through it.
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Monday’s MRI results showed the tear in his UCL was substantial enough to require surgery.
No date has been set for Erlin’s surgery, but Green says he believes they will operate quickly.
