Mariners medical update on right-handed pitcher David Phelps

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto today announced from Spring Training the following medical update on Mariners right-handed pitcher David Phelps:
Phelps will miss the 2018 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. He suffered the injury on the final pitch of his last outing, March 17 vs. Los Angeles-AL.
Phelps will undergo ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction ("Tommy John") surgery on his right arm. The surgery has not yet been scheduled.
Following the surgery, Phelps will do his rehab work with the Mariners in Seattle. Typical recovery time from a UCL reconstruction surgery is 12 to 15 months.
Phelps, 31, was 2-1 with 3 holds and a 3.12 ERA (3 ER, 8.2 IP) in 10 relief appearances with 11 strikeouts and 5 walks after being acquired by the Mariners from Miami on July 20 last season. Overall, he was 4-5 with 21 holds and a 3.40 ERA (21 ER, 55.2 IP) with 62 strikeouts and 26 walks in 54 combined appearances with the Mariners and Marlins last season. He made two trips to the disabled list with Seattle: was on 10-day DL Aug. 8 (retro to Aug. 7) to Aug. 23 with an impingement in his right elbow and returned to DL Sept. 1-end of season with a right elbow posterior impingement. He had surgery on his right elbow on Sept. 13 to remove a bone spur. At the time of his first DL placement (Aug. 8), he ranked second among Major League relievers in holds (21) and T15th in innings pitched (54.0).