Rockies Pitcher Antonio Senzatela To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Surgery To Repair Ulnar Collateral Ligament

Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, the team announced Tuesday.

The surgery will repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), a common injury among baseball pitchers.

Senzatela, 27, has struggled this season, going 3-6 with a 5.08 ERA in 15 starts.

He has allowed 76 hits and 37 walks in 78 1/3 innings.

Senzatela missed the first month of the season due to a left shoulder injury.

The recovery time for Tommy John surgery is typically 12 to 18 months.

This means Senzatela is likely to miss the entire 2024 season.

The Rockies will now be without their Opening Day starter from last season.

Senzatela is the second Rockies pitcher to undergo Tommy John surgery this season. Right-hander Peter Lambert had the procedure in April.

The Diamondbacks also recently had a pitcher undergo Tommy John surgery. Right-hander Tommy Henry had the surgery in May.

Tommy John surgery is a surgical procedure to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the elbow.

The UCL is a ligament that helps to stabilize the elbow joint.

When the UCL is torn, it can cause pain, instability, and decreased range of motion in the elbow.

Tommy John surgery is typically performed arthroscopically, which means that it is done through small incisions in the elbow.

During the surgery, the surgeon will remove the torn UCL and replace it with a graft from another part of the body, such as the forearm or hamstring.

The graft is then secured in place with sutures.

The recovery time for Tommy John surgery is typically 12 to 18 months.

During this time, the patient will need to wear a brace on their elbow and participate in physical therapy to regain range of motion and strength.

Most patients are able to return to full activity within 12 to 18 months after surgery.