Brandon McCarthy: Out for Season After Tearing UCL

McCarthy (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Analysis:

The Dodgers seemed optimistic that McCarthy was only dealing with tendinitis in his elbow after initial tests didn't seem to suggest any structural damage, but a follow-up MRI on Monday revealed a worst-case scenario for the right-hander. McCarthy, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Dodgers in the winter, will have to undergo his first Tommy John operation, representing yet another long-term injury setback in a career that's been full of them. He had appeared primed to take a step forward after a dominant 29:4 K:BB ratio over his first 23 innings this season that belied his 5.87 ERA, but it's now likely we won't see him pitch again until next summer. With McCarthy out of commission, Scott Baker now appears in line to enjoy a more permanent spot in the Dodgers' rotation.