Rays reliever Nick Anderson missed almost all of 2021 due to an injury to his right elbow, and now it appears that he will also miss a large chunk of 2022 for the same reason.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Anderson, who suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in Spring Training last season, has undergone a surgical procedure on the elbow, having a brace installed to support the ligament.
#Rays reliever Nick Anderson underwent elbow surgery, having a UCL brace procedure, and is not expected to pitch in games again until after 2022 All-Star break
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 28, 2021
After going 2-1 with a 0.55 ERA in 19 appearances in 2020, the 31-year-old, who was acquired by Tampa Bay from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline the previous season, saw a substantial decline in velocity during the 2021 spring, and was diagnosed with the partial ligament tear. He made six appearances for the Rays, all in September, going 0-1 with a save and a 4.50 ERA. He was placed back on the 10-day injured list at the end of the regular season and did not appear in the 2021 postseason.
The team does not expect Anderson to be ready before the All-Star Break.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
