Tommy John Surgery For Stephen Strasburg?

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WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- Washington Nationals officials have confirmed that rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg is suffering from a major ligament tear in his right elbow due to which he might have to undergo the Tommy John surgery. Mike Rizzo, the general manager of the Washington Nationals revealed in a press conference on Friday that the MRI that was conducted on the player divulged that the ulnar collateral ligament on his right elbow had suffered a ’significant tear’ and the final decision about whether he would be undergoing the procedure would be taken after a second opinion about Stephen Strasburg’s condition is taken.

While addressing the reporters, Mike Rizzo stated that the Washington Nationals pitcher would be moving to the West Coast so that his injury can be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum while also hinting that the right-handed pitcher might have to undergo the Tommy John surgery to recuperate from his condition. Although it is a known fact that the average time that a pitcher needs to get back in form post the Tommy John procedure, the Washington Nationals general manager expressed hope that the success rate of players recovered from the surgery is quite high.

Initially Washington Nationals has said that Stephen Strasburg had suffered a strained flexor tendon in his forearm but after MRI was conducted on Sunday, it came to light that the player actually had a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. If the rookie pitcher indeed goes under the knife for Tommy John surgery, the probability is extremely high that the Stephen Strasburg would not be able to participate in the 2011 season.