MLB Rumors: Garrett Richards expected to have Tommy John surgery

Los Angeles Angels star pitcher Garrett Richards is suffering from a torn UCL and will reportedly have the season ending surgery.

With the Major League Baseball season just over a month old, the Los Angeles Angels are dealing with injury issues on their pitching staff that could put an early end to any chance of making it to the postseason.

According to Yahoo! Sports, staff ace Garrett Richards is suffering from a torn UCL injury and could be moving closer to having that dreaded surgery for any pitcher that means his year will come to an end:

In 2016, Richards currently has a 1-3 record in his six starts, with a slightly better than two to one strikeout/walk ratio (34 strikeouts and 15 walks) and an ERA of 2.34. In his last outing Sunday, Richards went four innings and didn’t get the decision in the Angels’ 9-3 win over the Texas Rangers.

Garrett Richards isn’t the only starter for the Angels who is dealing with injury issues. Fellow pitcher Andrew Heaney reportedly has the same injury and is working on rehabbing it to avoid having Tommy John surgery and ending his season early.

Heaney was put on the disabled list not long after his first and only start of the 2016 season, a 6-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on April 5th when Heaney went six innings and gave up four runs while striking out seven, getting the loss. The Angels enter Friday with a record of 13-15, four games back of the leaders in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners.

For more MLB news, check out our MLB hub page