Seattle’s Ray needs elbow surgery, will miss rest of season

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray will have surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his pitching elbow and will miss the rest of the season.

Seattle manager Scott Servais made the announcement before the Mariners played Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Ray, in the second season of a $115 million, five-year contract, was injured in his season debut against Cleveland on March 31 when he walked five. He threw 91 pitches over 3 1/3 innings and walked five, one shy of his career high.

“In the second inning it felt a little tight, but it didn’t seem out of the ordinary,” Ray said. “It was a cold night, I just thought maybe it took me a while to get loose in that second inning. I didn’t really think that much about it, but after that my arm started to tighten up a good amount.”

Ray, 31, has been incredibly durable for most of his career. Aside from the pandemic shortened 2020 season, Ray has made at least 28 starts five times since 2016, including the 2021 season with Toronto when he won the AL Cy Young Award.

Ray is 74-71 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 seasons with Detroit (2014), Arizona (2015-20), Toronto (2020-21) and Seattle.

Seattle made it through last season without a starter missing a turn. Chris Flexen has been filling Ray’s slot and is 0-4 with a 10.38 ERA in four starts.