The Arizona Diamondbacks’ scheduled opening-day starter has a partially torn ligament in his left elbow that could end his season before it begins.
Left-hander Patrick Corbin said Sunday that he might be facing season-ending Tommy John surgery. The team announced in a statement that the damage is the ulnar collateral ligament. Corbin is planning to get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews before deciding on the surgery or rehab.
The 24-year-old Corbin felt stiffness in the elbow during the seventh inning of a spring training game on Saturday against the Cleveland Indians. It was his last scheduled outing before the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia on March 22.
With Corbin on the shelf, left-hander Wade Miley was named to take his place in the opener.
Last season as a rookie, Corbin landed a spot on the National League All-Star team. He posted a 14-8 record with a 3.41 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 208 1/3 innings.