Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull out for season, will have Tommy John surgery
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull will have Tommy John surgery on his right arm and is out for the season, manager AJ Hinch announced Tuesday during his pregame availability at Comerica Park ahead of the game against the Texas Rangers.
Turnbull last pitched June 4 against the Chicago White Sox, throwing four innings of one-run ball. He removed himself from the game, and was diagnosed with a right forearm strain. He was placed on the 10-day injured list June 5.
He reported "no problems" after a 38-pitch bullpen session in Lakeland, Florida on July 3. "Things are progressing nicely," Hinch said at the time.
ANALYSIS: Tigers are proving they've taken the next step
HEIST: Tigers still can't believe they got Ty Madden, the biggest 2021 MLB draft steal
MORE BAD NEWS: Tigers C Jake Rogers out a 'couple of weeks' with forearm injury
But Turnbull was moved to the 60-day IL on July 7, indicating a setback had occurred.
"He's still feeling symptoms," Hinch said that day. "They've re-emerged. We've got to go back through the battery of tests."
Estimates say nearly a third of big-league pitchers have had Tommy John surgery — though it's not always successful.
Dr. Frank Jobe pioneered the surgery, a reconstruction of the torn ulnar collateral ligament in the throwing elbow, on John after the 1974 season.
Most recently, Tigers prospect Joey Wentz had the surgery in March of 2020. He appeared in his first official game 14 months later.
Turnbull is one of several Tigers pitchers recently injured, including starter Matthew Boyd, starter Jose Urena and reliever Michael Fulmer, who had Tommy John surgery in 2019. Urena exited Saturday's Game 1 of a doubleheader vs. Minnesota with right groin tightness. They have also been without Julio Teheran, who made one start in early April before suffering a strained shoulder.
FROM SATURDAY: How Michael Fulmer, Matthew Boyd are recovering from injuries
The Tigers are also limiting starter Casey Mize's innings, an ongoing strategy to reduce risk and keep him in the rotation all season. A similar plan has been used for fellow young starter Tarik Skubal.
Turnbull, 28, went 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA in nine starts over 50 innings this season. He threw a no-hitter in Seattle on May 18.
THE FUTURE: Spencer Turnbull's no-hitter for Tigers is only the beginning: 'I belong here'
The Tigers (44-51) are 4-0 post All-Star break with three shutouts. They are 35-27 since May 8 and sit 9½ games out of a wild-card spot.
This story will be updated.
Stay informed on what's happening across Michigan: Subscribe to our news alert emails here
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Spencer Turnbull to have Tommy John surgery
