John Fasola has elbow issue

John Fasola, righthanded reliever and Texas Rangers 2016 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year, has been shut down with an elbow issue, with Evan Grant suggesting it is a UCL issue. UCL issues can, of course, lead to Tommy John surgery, and Fasola had the surgery earlier in his career as a college pitcher.

This is a significant blow for Fasola, who had established himself as a legitimate relief prospect in 2016, putting up a 3.18 ERA in 51 IP between high-A, AA and AAA, with 58 strikeouts against just 12 walks. The 25 year old former 31st round pick out of Kent State appeared to be on track to end up in a major league pen at some point in the next couple of years before the injury...now, his timeline is unclear.

Fasola is still currently being medically evaluated.