Report: Padres' Dickerson to miss 2018 following Tommy John surgery

Alex Dickerson's comeback has been cut short for the time being.

The San Diego Padres outfielder has been nursing an elbow injury that hasn't improved, and it will force him to undergo Tommy John surgery near the end of March, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin. It effectively ends his 2018 season before it even began.

Dickerson missed all of 2017 following back surgery, and the 27-year-old hasn't appeared in a major-league game since the tail end of 2016.

He appeared in 84 games that year, his rookie campaign, and had a decent showing. He hit .257/.333/.455 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs.

Odds were already against him breaking camp with the big-league squad, anyway, but the surgery makes it official.