Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brandon McCarthy has suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season according to Bill Shaikan of the Los Angeles Times.
McCarthy: UCL tear, out for year
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) April 27, 2015
McCarthy, 31, signed a four-year, $48-million contract this past offseason with the Dodgers after finishing the 2014 season on perhaps the best run of his career. After he strugged with the Arizona Diamondbacks to a tune of a 3-10 record with an unsightly 5.01 ERA, a trade to the New York Yankees rejuvenated McCarthy.
In 14 starts with New York, McCarthy pitched to a 7-5 record and a 2.89 ERA, bringing his season totals to 10-15 record with a 4.05 ERA in 32 starts.
Despite his injury-riddled career, the Dodgers believed that the Glendale, California, native is worth the investment and brought him in to be a mainstay in a rotation featuring Cy Young winners Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. In his first four starts in Los Angeles, McCarthy pitched to a perfect 3-0 record, but his troubles were with the home run.
He leads the National League with nine long balls allowed.
Unlike the case with Yankees ace starter Masahiro Tanaka, who is currently pitching with a partially torn UCL, Tommy John surgery is McCarthy's next destination, as noted by Shaikan.
The news could not come at a more inopportune time for the Dodgers as their issues with their pitching has been highlighted. The team appears to go through a countless number of relief pitchers each week and now will face the task of replacing a starter they were counting on to be healthy.
Through his trademark humorous disposition, McCarthy took to Twitter to poke fun at his injury that could potentially cost him not only the rest of this season but a large portion of 2016.
to be fair, 31 years of use is a lot to ask for from a ligament
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) April 27, 2015