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BASEBALL

Jordan Montgomery To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

The last time I wrote about left-hander Jordan Montgomery of New York I said that his elbow injury was minor.

Unfortunately that is not the case. 

The Yankees' ongoing search for starting pitching picked up urgency on Tuesday after the club announced that left-hander Jordan Montgomery has been scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

The 25-year-old Montgomery will have the procedure performed by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad on Thursday at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Recovery time for the surgery is typically 12 to 18 months. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Montgomery has been sidelined since the beginning of May with a flexor strain in his left elbow. He experienced stiffness while throwing on flat ground during the team's weekend series in Baltimore, then returned to New York for an MRI on Monday morning. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

"I'm obviously disappointed for Monty, but at least he gets some answers now and knows he'll be in really good hands," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Get through the surgery and start that rehab process. I talked to him today and he's in pretty good spirits considering, so we'll just give him the best support we can and look forward to him getting back at some point." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

The southpaw began the season with a 2-0 record and a 3.62 ERA over his first six starts, one year after placing sixth in American League Rookie of the Year Award voting when he recorded a 3.88 ERA over 29 starts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Montgomery had shown solid potential in his first season-plus in the Majors, particularly in his ability to get hitters to chase his offspeed pitches out of the zone. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Rookie right-hander Domingo German has filled Montgomery's place in the rotation. Since firing six hitless innings in his first Major League start against the Indians on May 6, German has gone 0-3 with an 8.14 ERA in four starts against the Athletics, Rangers, Astros and Tigers. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

German said that he could sympathize with Montgomery, having undergone Tommy John surgery himself in 2015. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

"When something like that happens to you, the first thing that comes to your mind is that your career is going to be over," German said through an interpreter. "You feel sad about that. Once you get the operation done and you start throwing, you have to believe in yourself. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

"You have to have a tough mind, really positive thinking after you start throwing. It's what's going to get you through the whole process. It's never easy, but you have to keep your head high and you have to look forward to the future and try to recuperate as soon as possible." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Though Chance Adams, Josh Rogers and Justus Sheffield are among those garnering attention at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, general manager Brian Cashman has said that pitching is the Yankees' top priority as they approach the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, suggesting that the team plans to look beyond its help on the farm. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Some possible trade targets bandied about in media reports have included Chris Archer of the Rays, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, Patrick Corbin of the D-backs, Michael Fulmer of the Tigers and Cole Hamels of the Rangers, though most or all of those names would require significant packages from the Yankees' system."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

"The organization and Cash are constantly trying to find the best ways to always be proactive, always put our organization in the best position to be successful," Boone said. "That never stops." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

Court is in recess
Aaron Judge was out of the Yankees' lineup on Tuesday, one day after he was 0-for-9 with eight strikeouts in New York's doubleheader split against the Tigers in Detroit. Judge, who described it as a "terrible day," had appeared in all 56 of the Yankees' games prior to Tuesday. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758

"I talked to him about this probably before we went on this road trip, just with the stretch of games and a doubleheader mixed in there," Boone said. "I've talked to you guys a lot about trying to pick a day here for everyone, and the fact that we rode him through a doubleheader, I just felt like today -- getting in late, onto the turf, he's been a guy that obviously I've leaned on a lot. I just felt like it was a good time." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jordan-montgomery-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/c-279904758