Carter Capps got a second opinion on his ongoing elbow problems from Dr. James Andrews and the news isn’t good, with Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reporting that the standout Marlins reliever will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
Capps missed the final two months of last season with elbow issues and immediately had things flare up again once he arrived at spring training. He’ll miss the entire 2016 season and could be sidelined well into 2017, which is a huge blow to the Marlins’ bullpen (and to everyone who enjoyed the unique experience of watching Capps pitch).
The combination of his high-90s fastball and quasi-legal delivery made Capps one of the most unhittable and highest upside relievers in league. Last season he posted a sparkling 1.16 ERA and 58/7 K/BB ratio in 31 innings and for his career Capps has racked up 177 strikeouts in 135 frames through age 24.
A.J. Ramos is now the favorite to serve as Miami’s closer, with Bryan Morris and Mike Dunn likely to step into the primary setup man roles.
