Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize will have Tommy John elbow surgery and miss the rest of the season.
Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday the procedure to repair Mize’s right ulnar collateral ligament will occur “pretty soon.”
Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has been on the injured list since April 15 with a right elbow strain.
The 25-year-old finishes the season 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts. Since making his Detroit debut in 2020, he is 7-13 with a 4.29 ERA in 39 starts.
Dr. Keith Meister, the team physician for the Texas Rangers, determined Mize needed surgery even though the ligament is not torn.
“Dr. Meister has diagnosed him with a stretched ligament that’s lost its elasticity and functionality inside his elbow,” Hinch said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “Any of the exams we’ve had, it’s shown an intact ligament, which is true. But the symptoms continue to recur.”
Mize has started two throwing programs since landing on the IL. Both times, however, he was shut down due to soreness.
The typical recovery time from Tommy John surgery ranges from 12 to 18 months.
–Field Level Media
