Nat's Strasburg out
Likely to need Tommy John surgery & may miss 2011 season...
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo announced this morning that pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg will probably require "Tommy John" elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Strasburg left his last start on Saturday with what was was initially diagnosed as a strained tendon in his forearm. But on Thursday he had a second MRI exam that showed a "significant tear of his ulnar collateral ligament," according to Rizzo.
Rizzo said Strasburg will seek a second opinion from Lewis Yocum. If Yocum agrees that surgery is necessary, Strasburg would have the procedure as soon as possible. The recovery time from "Tommy John" surgery for a pitcher is typically at least 12 months, meaning Strasburg would likely miss all of the 2011 season.
