Cole Ragans is expected to undergo surgery to fix a left elbow impingement that has sidelined him since early May, Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters Tuesday.
Quatraro said Ragans is set to see another doctor this week, at which point it will be determined what type of surgery the two-time All-Star needs and how long he will be out.
"It's awful," the manager said, according to MLB.com. "We talk about it all the time when guys get hurt; these guys grind and work, and do it year-round to put themselves in the best position to go out there and compete. Clearly, it's a blow for him and for us. I mean, it's our Opening Day starter the last few years. That's a really tough one to swallow for him and his family."
Ragans left a May 6 start against the Cleveland Guardians after three innings and was diagnosed with valgus extension overload. He was expected to rejoin the team earlier this month but had a setback after a rehab start.
Injuries are nothing new for Ragans. The 28-year-old missed most of last season because of a left groin strain and a rotator cuff strain.
He is 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA this year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
