ICYMI: Tampa Bay Rays Hurler To Have Season-Ending Surgery

The news has gone from bad to worse for Tampa Bay Rays breakout starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs. Originally said to be out for two months with a nerve issue in his forearm/elbow area, now the word is he'll be undergoing Tommy John surgery. That'll wipe out his entire season and likely a good chunk of 2024 as well.

Jeffrey Springs is expected to undergo Tommy John Surgery and will be sidelined into next season, per@TBTimes_Rays pic.twitter.com/vn3QNJZSUI

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2023

Yesterday, the Rays were reporting that Springs was suffering from a strain rather than a sprain, but that was before they got the news that TJ was the best option.

It's a heartbreaking development for the 30-year-old pitcher, who finally broke through last season as a legitimate big league starter, and came out this year looking like a Cy Young candidate, with a 0.56 ERA through three starts. 

Now he'll have to wait until well into next season to try to recapture that magic.

But as for the Rays, they just do what they do, and have replaced Springs in the rotation with their top prospect Taj Bradley, who merely went out Tuesday night and threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds with nine strikeouts. Next man up. 

Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports