Mariners LHP Robbie Ray has Tommy John surgery

OAKLAND, Calif. — Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray underwent Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair on his left elbow on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. Ray will begin his rehabilitation in two to three weeks in Arizona.

“Obviously, he’s got a long road ahead of him,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “The rehab in those situations can be challenging, but if anybody’s going to come through strong, it’ll be Robbie Ray.”

The 31-year-old Ray is in the second season of a $115 million, five-year contract. He suffered the injury in his season debut against the Cleveland Guardians on March 31, when he allowed five runs, three earned, in 3 1/3 innings and walked five.

“He (is) in good spirits, as good as can be when you go through something like that,” Servais said. “Hopefully he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

Ray won the 2021 AL Cy Young Award with the Toronto Blue Jays, going 13-7 with a 2.84 ERA and 248 strikeouts in 193 1/3 innings. He was an All-Star in 2017 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ray went 12-12 with a 3.71 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 189 innings last season, his first with the Mariners. In 10 major league seasons, he is 74-71 with a 3.96 ERA.

“He’s a key guy in our clubhouse,” Servais said. “I’ve talked about not just what he does on the mound on the day he pitches, but what he adds. So we’re going to miss him.”