Angels' ace Garrett Richards placed on DL with elbow injury, possibly lost for the season

Los Angeles Angels General Manager Billy Eppler announced today that their ace right-handed pitcher, Garrett Richards, was placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a right elbow UCL injury (retro to May 2).

Other outlets are reporting that the injury could require season-ending Tommy John surgery, and that Richards is in the process of seeking a second medical opinion.

The loss of Richards is a devastating blow to the Angels thin rotation.  Not only is he by far their best pitcher, but the rest of the Angels staff also has been beset by injuries as well.

Since 2014, Richards leads the Majors in average fastball velocity (96.1 MPH) and ranks fourth in the American League in batting average against (.222).

Richards, 27, made six starts for the Angels this season, going 1-3 with a 2.34 ERA (34.2 IP – 9 ER) and 34 strikeouts. He ranks 10th in the American League in ERA and is tied for 11th in strikeouts.  Richards made his first career Opening Day start on April 4 against the Cubs and allowed two-or-fewer earned runs in five of his six starts this season.

Richards exited his last start on Monday at Texas with fatigue after tossing four innings and allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The Riverside, California, native previously spent time on the disabled list after suffering a torn left patellar tendon on Aug. 20, 2014 at Fenway Park. He missed the remainder of the 2014 season and postseason, as well as the first 11 games of the 2015 season.

Prior to the injury in 2014, he pitched to a 13-4 record and 2.61 ERA (168.2 IP – 49 ER) in 26 starts and ranked in the Top 10 in the American League in nearly every major pitching category. Additionally, he was on the DL from Aug. 16 – Sept. 4, 2011 with a right adductor strain.

In 148 career games (93 starts), Richards is 40-32 with two saves and a 3.58 ERA (640.2 IP – 255 ER).

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services