Miami Marlins starter Jose Fernandez has decided to undergo Tommy John surgery on Friday in Los Angeles. Fernandez received news of a "significant tear" on Tuesday.
After discussing every possibility with the Marlins organization and his family in Miami, starter Jose Fernandez will undergo Tommy John surgery Friday in Los Angeles. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports first reported Fernandez's decision.
Marlins star Jose Fernandez scheduled to have tommy john surgery tomorrow morning in LA. http://t.co/vPLyZTJn0j
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) May 15, 2014Fernandez first found out that he had a "significant tear" on Tuesday. With the help of Miami's front office and his family, Fernandez came to the conclusion that season-ending Tommy John surgery would be the best option to get him back on a mound as quickly as possible. The recovery time for Tommy John is 12-18 months.
President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill described the surgery as "inevitable," but Fernandez first wanted to weigh all of his options and determine if extended rehab could be a viable solution. The reigning National League Rookie of The Year got multiple opinions before deciding to have the procedure on the West Coast.
Fernandez, 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA, felt pain in his last start against the Padres in San Diego, and went for an MRI, when the tear was discovered.
Noted surgeon Neal ElAttrache will perform the surgery.
Since aside from the tear Fernandez's arm appears to be "pristine," he should be able to be successful coming off of a lengthy rehab assignment.
The National League Pitcher of the Month for the month of April, Fernandez anchored the Marlins' rotation and was dominant in almost every start. It was essential that Fernandez make a quick decision in order to get him back on the mound as soon as possible.
Anthony DeSclafani made his major league debut Wednesday in place of Fernandez, and Miami signed veteran left-hander Randy Wolf to ensure the starting rotation remains strong despite losing its leader.
"Like all of us, we're fans of the game," Hill said. "So we appreciate and respect the game, and have a passion. When you see somebody who embodies that passion, you want to root for him. Jose enjoys what he's doing -- not just every fifth day, but every day he was at the ballpark, he had fun with his teammates. Now he's going to have to do it in a different capacity for the next 12 or so months."