Star pitchers Bieber, Strider have serious elbow injuries
Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery, a major blow to the team and the 2020 Cy Young winner.
Bieber, the former Laguna Hills High standout who missed several months last season with elbow issues, experienced pain following an opening-day start in Oakland and again last week against Seattle. In those two starts, both wins, he pitched 12 shutout innings, striking out 20.
The right-hander underwent imaging tests, and reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament was recommended by several doctors.
The recovery time can take up to 16 months following the surgery.
Bieber, 28, is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 134 career starts with Cleveland.
• Atlanta Braves ace right-hander Spencer Strider has damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an MRI revealed Saturday, leaving his status for the remainder of the season in doubt.
The Braves said Strider will be evaluated further and even though they did not announce the severity of the damage, manager
Brian Snitker said the result “wasn't good.”
Strider complained about discomfort in his elbow after pitching four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, in Atlanta's 6-5 win over Arizona on Friday night.
Strider was 20-5 in 2023, leading the majors in wins. His 281 strikeouts also were the most in the big leagues.
He had a 3.86 ERA last season. His ERA is 7.00 after two starts this year.
Strider underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 while at Clemson.
CARDINALS 3, MARLINS 1 >>
Winless Miami, off to the worst start in the 33-year history of the franchise, dropped its ninth consecutive game, losing to Steve Matz and host St. Louis.
Matz (2-0) surrendered four hits in five scoreless innings.
The Marlins are the only winless team in baseball. Baltimore holds the big league record with 21 losses to start the 1988 season.
BRAVES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 8 >>
Austin Riley had three hits, the last an eighth-inning single that drove in the go-ahead run, and Atlanta overcame a six-run, first-inning deficit to defeat Arizona.
Ketel Marte's homer sparked the six-run first inning off Max Fried, who gave up eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits and one walk in 4 1/3 innings.
Fried has allowed 10 earned runs in five innings in his first two starts.
PHILLIES 5, NATIONALS 2 >>
J.T. Realmuto followed an intentional walk to Bryce Harper by driving a hanging Jake Irvin curveball for a three-run homer in the third inning, helping Philadelphia to a road win over Washington.
GUARDIANS 3, TWINS 1 >>
David Fry hit a three-run homer and seven Cleveland pitchers combined on a two-hitter in a win at Minnesota.
Carlos Carrasco worked three innings of one-run ball as the Guardians improved to 7-2.
REDS 9, METS 6 >>
Spencer Steer hit a three-run homer during Cincinnati's five-run eighth, leading to a home win over New York.
The Reds trailed 5-4 before Elly De La Cruz singled home Bubba Thompson. Steer followed with a drive to left-center against Yohan Ramírez (0-1).
MARINERS 5, BREWERS 3 >>
Jorge Polanco and Luis Urias homered, helping Bryce Miller and visiting Seattle beat Milwaukee.
Miller (1-1) struck out seven in seven shutout innings. The right-hander allowed three hits and walked one.