Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto today announced the following medical update on Mariners left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly:
Smyly will undergo ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction ("Tommy John") surgery on his left arm. The surgery is tentatively scheduled for July 6, and will be performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama.
Following the surgery, Smyly will miss the remainder of the 2017 season. Typical recovery time from a UCL reconstruction surgery is 12 to 15 months.
Smyly will do his rehabilitation work closer to his off-season home in Dallas, Texas.
Smyly, 27, was placed on the 10-day disabled list April 2 (retro to March 30) with a left arm flexor strain after he appeared in three Cactus League games with Seattle this spring, going 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA (5 ER, 9.0 IP) with 6 strikeouts. He also made one appearance with Team USA, striking out eight in 4.2 innings while allowing just one unearned run on March 15 vs. Team Venezuela. He was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 4.
The left-hander established career-highs last season with 30 starts, 175.1 innings and 167 strikeouts. He finished the season 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA (95 ER, 175.1 IP) with 167 strikeouts in 30 starts with Tampa Bay. Among left-handed pitchers last season, Smyly ranked 7th in fewest walks-per-9.0-innings with a mark of 2.52 (49 BB, 175.1 IP). Over his final 12 starts of the season, he was 5-1 with a 3.73 ERA (29 ER, 70.0 IP) after opening the year 2-11 with a 5.64 ERA (66 ER, 105.1 IP) in his first 18 starts. He recorded four double-digit strikeout games, a mark topped by only three American League pitchers: Boston's David Price (7), Detroit's Justin Verlander (7) and Tampa Bay's Chris Archer (6). He was one of 10 American League left-handers to make 30 starts and toss at least 175.1 innings last season.
In five Major League seasons with Detroit (2012-14) and Tampa Bay (2014-16), the left-hander is 31-27 with a 3.74 ERA (237 ER, 570.1 IP) with 552 strikeouts in 156 games, including 85 starts. He was originally selected by Detroit in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft and was traded to Tampa Bay as part of the David Price deal between the Tigers, Rays and Mariners on July 31, 2014.