Phillies: Seranthony Dominguez likely for Tommy John surgery
Phillies reliever Seranthony Dominguez will likely undergo Tommy John surgery.
Exactly one year ago, Philadelphia Phillies right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez appeared in his most recent Major League game. Dominguez missed the rest of the 2019 season due to a UCL tear, and, now, might not return until the 2022 season.
On Friday, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reported that the Phillies expect Dominguez will soon undergo Tommy John surgery to address his injury. The hard-throwing right-hander reportedly returned to the U.S. on Thursday following “weeks of failed attempts to depart his home in the Dominican Republic during the coronavirus pandemic,” Gelb reports.
And, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Bob Brookover, Dominguez could miss all of the 2021 season if he undergoes the expected surgery.
RELATED | Phillies: Finding what’s going wrong for Seranthony Dominguez
Dominguez, 25, was limited to just limited to 24 2/3 innings last season. He was seen by Dr. James Andrews, who at the time recommended against surgery, but rather a platelet-rich plasma injection, rest and rehabilitation.
This spring, Dominguez’s recovery appeared to be going well, as he appeared in two games and struck out two batters over two innings. But, in early March, he underwent an MRI after feeling lingering tightness in his elbow after his second appearance.
At the time, Dominguez told reporters that he was “really worried,” because “it’s my career. It’s my life.”
The writing was clearly on the wall. And, worst of all, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed Dominguez’s likely surgery. He could not get a second opinion from Dr. Andrews, being stuck in the Dominican Republic, and with well-respected Dr. Andrews not performing surgery regardless.
RELATED | Phillies: Pros and cons of MLB’s proposed 50-game season
According to Gelb, Dominguez will undergo a quarantine period before having his right elbow examined before his likely surgery.
Through two seasons and 80 appearances in red pinstripes, Dominguez has gone 5-5 with a 3.27 ERA, 103-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.089 WHIP spanning 82 2/3 innings. As a rookie in 2018, he saved 16 games out of 20 opportunities.
The Phillies will miss not having Dominguez in the back-end of the bullpen, especially in a potentially shortened 2020 season. Not to mention, potentially all of 2021.