For a while, Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain was pitching without showing any symptoms of a major arm injury. However, he hit the disabled list on Wednesday with what was termed a flexor strain, and further examination revealed a tear in his UCL. Nobody at all saw that coming, but nobody could ignore it, either. Manager Joe Girardi conceded that Tommy John surgery appeared likely, and sure enough, on Friday, we've got confirmation. Sweeny Murti:
Joba Chamberlain will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, performed by Dr James Andrews.
If it's any consolation, at least Chamberlain is having his operation done by the best, instead of some guy you've never heard of. It's always incredible to me when I sit back and think about how famous certain surgeons have become, all thanks to baseball.
The surgery will knock Chamberlain out for the rest of the 2011 season, and presumably for the first half of the 2012 season as well. If all goes smoothly, Chamberlain could be back on the mound as a contributor to the Yankees' stretch run next year.