The Phillies were hoping for good news surrounding relief pitcher Seranthony Dominguez. The right-handed bullpen-ace reliever pitched two scoreless innings in Grapefruit League action before play was suspended. But then he was shut down. And it appears that the news is not good.
According to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the recommendations from the doctor is "Tommy John" surgery:
It has been suggested to Dominguez that he undergo a reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, a source close to the Phillies reliever said Monday evening.
The usual recovery time is a calendar year at least, so if Dominguez goes that route, he should do so sooner than later to mitigate some playing time loss of 2021.
In recent weeks, both Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox and Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets have undergone the procedure. While that is a harrowing concept, many have recovered from the surgery to have very successful careers. For some, however, they never regained their previous form.
As Dominguez noted a couple of weeks ago, he feared for his career. That is a legitimate concern, but great promise remains. The disappointing part, however, it appears to be a lock that he will not pitch for the Phillies in 2020.
