Reds' Bailey to undergo Tommy John surgery

Homer Bailey's ailing right elbow will keep him off the mound at Great American Ball Park for at least the next 12 months.

The Cincinnati Reds announced Friday that the 28-year-old right-hander will undergo Tommy John surgery after landing on the disabled list earlier this week with continued soreness in his troublesome elbow.

Bailey, who signed a six-year, $105-million extension prior to the 2014 campaign, battled elbow problems for much of last season before undergoing surgery in August to repair a torn flexor tendon.

Though Bailey opened the 2015 campaign on the disabled list as he finished recuperating, the former first-round pick made his regular-season debut April 18. Bailey, however, made just two starts before returning to the disabled list Wednesday with renewed soreness in his elbow.

"He certainly won’t be pitching here in the near future," Reds manager Bryan Price said Monday.

Price's comments proved rather prophetic, as Bailey was shortly thereafter diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will keep him out of action until 2016.

"After consulting with (team medical director) Dr. (Tim) Kremchek and other orthopedic surgeons, we determined the best option with the most predictable outcome is to surgically repair the ligament," Reds president of baseball operations and general manager Walt Jocketty said. "It does not appear the injury is at all related to the right elbow flexor mass injury Homer sustained late last season."

Bailey crafted a 5.56 ERA with a 1.76 WHIP over two starts this season before landing on the disabled list. Over parts of nine years in the majors, Bailey owns a 4.19 ERA (95 ERA+) with a 2.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio.