D-backs' Shelby Miller has partial UCL tear; Tommy John an option

ByABC News
April 27, 2017, 7:56 PM

— -- Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and is evaluating whether to have Tommy John surgery or to rehab the injury through non-surgical options.

Miller, who also was diagnosed with a flexor strain, said he would speak by telephone with Dr. James Andrews, who was the last doctor to evaluate his MRI. Miller, though, said all three doctors to look at the MRI came back with the same diagnosis.

"It sucks," Miller told reporters, according to azcentral.com. "It's not good news. You never want to be put in this kind of situation and never would you think that it would happen to you. It is what it is. It's just one of those things that you can't really control. I'm pretty torn up about not being able to pitch for a while."

Miller, 26, was transferred to the 60-day disabled list Thursday. He had been put on the 10-day disabled list after leaving Sunday's game against the Dodgers in the fifth inning because of tightness in his elbow. ?

Miller said he's "seeing all the options available and what scenarios are best for me and the team," saying the timetable for him to make a decision was "still early."

"It's a tough decision," Miller said. "It's not going to be easy one way or the other. There's a lot of uncertainty involved. You don't really know. The biggest thing is to just make sure that we're all on board with the same thing and make sure that we're all comfortable and not making a mistake, basically, at the end of the day. That's why this process has been taking so long."

Right-hander Zack Godley took Miller's place in the rotation Wednesday but was sent back to Triple-A Reno after he gave up two runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three in the game, which the Diamondbacks lost 8-5 to the San Diego Padres.

Miller was acquired in a much-criticized trade with Atlanta before last season, sending outfielder Ender Inciarte and two top prospects -- No. 1 draft pick Dansby Swanson and right-handed pitcher Aaron Blair -- to the Atlanta Braves.

Miller is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA in four starts this season. He went 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA in 2016.

The Diamondbacks recalled left-hander T.J. McFarland from Triple-A Reno to add an extra arm for their bullpen.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.