Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks was removed from Saturday's game against the Angels and initially the team didn't really make it a huge deal. Which isn't necessarily unique to the Cardinals, but holy shit did this escalate quickly.
This was from Derrick Goold from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Saturday.
Hicks was removed from the game two batters into the ninth inning and sent for testing on his right elbow that manager Mike Shildt said was “favorable.” Hicks called the initial diagnosis “triceps tendinitis,” though he’ll likely go for deeper look at his elbow Sunday to determine if it’s anything more sinister.
“A couple of days,” Hicks said. “Maybe a week. We’re working through it.”
Unfortunately for Hicks and the Cardinals, it's going to be a lot longer than a week. On Monday, the team announced that the closer had a torn UCL.
Hicks had 14 saves with a 3.14 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 29 appearances for the Cardinals this season. The team hasn't said it yet, but with a torn UCL the usual course of action is Tommy John surgery.
