Los Angeles Angels infielder Andrelton Simmons is set to miss the next six to eight weeks after suffering a broken left thumb during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon, according to a club announcement on Monday evening.
It is said that the 26-year-old suffered a full thickness tear of the ulnar collateral ligament while diving for a ground ball, attempting to stop it which concluded in a series finale loss.
As noted by MLBTradeRumors, the team will provide a full update following the operation which will give a general idea of what is to come before he makes his way back onto the field.
At the time of the injury, it was the top of the third inning when Evan Longoria hit the ball in his direction, however, given where he was positioned, he fell down in a rather awkward way, causing much discomfort to the gold glover's hand.
Simmons' career
Simmons came up with the Atlanta Braves back in 2012 after having being drafted by the club in the 2nd round of the 2010 amateur draft. He later signed in June of that season.
Looking at how he has been going at it so far this season, Simmons has been hitting with a .219 average to go alongside a home run and eight RBI's. Just a day before this took place, he had managed to snap an 0-for-21 skid at the plate as he has been in a little bit of a struggle as of late.
Where to look next for the Angels?
Unfortunately for the Angels, this is not the first injury of the young season. Both LHP Andrew Heaney and RHP Garrett Richards have been placed on the 60-day DL as they get set to miss the remainder of the 2016 regular season due to a torn UCL in their pitching elbows. However, Richards will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the damage while Heaney looks to avoid an operation while opting for conservative care which comes as part of an extensive rehab stint.
That being said, the club has been very active in terms of transactions since as they acquired veteran infielder Brendan Ryan from the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations on Tuesday evening. The 34-year-old was with the club and in uniform as they took on the .
As far as pitching goes, veteran right-hander Jhoulys Chacin was acquired from the Braves earlier in the day which sent minor-league left-hander Ryan McCreery the other way. Additionally, RHP Matt Shoemaker has been recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake while a 40-man roster spot was cleared with the designation of Ji-man Choi.