PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies are riding a four-game winning streak. They've been red hot for more than a month, and are in the thick of the National League wildcard race.
But on Wednesday, the team announced it's not all good news for its die-hard fans.
The team's medical staff is recommending that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter should undergo Tommy John surgery to fix his ailing elbow.
Painter, 20, has been shut down since March 2 with a strained ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. He threw a few bullpen sessions last month and was scheduled to face live batters in July, but the team had to shelve him a second time after he began experiencing additional discomfort in the elbow, the Phillies said.
A recent MRI showed signs of healing in Painter's elbow, but the soreness in his elbow did not subside, the team said.
Wednesday afternoon, the Phillies made the announcement many fans had been dreading since Painter's elbow first flared up: it's time for surgery.
"Considering the timing of the season and that Painter is still experiencing symptoms, the Phillies medical staff has recommended he undergo a right elbow UCL reconstruction with ulnar nerve transposition surgery," the team said in a statement.
Painter will have a surgical consultation with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Tommy John surgery on right fielder Bryce Harper last November, on Monday, the Phillies added.
Generally, it takes anywhere from 12 to 18 months to return from Tommy John surgery, which means Painter will likely miss the entire 2024 season.