Royals closer Joakim Soria is headed to L.A. to see Dr. Lewis Yocum for a second opinion on his sore elbow. Soria’s MRI revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament and it appears he is headed for a second Tommy John surgery. “It’s unfortunate, because Joakim is such a professional person and he’s obviously hurting right now, but we’ll just hope for the best, and if he does need reconstruction, which would be his second, let’s hope for a good outcome,” Moore said.
If Soria needs the surgery, the recovering time, much like Adam Wainwright is 9-12 months. Manager Ned Yost said the Royals could go with former Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, and last year’s setup standout, Greg Holland, as replacements for Soria as the Royals’ closer. SBNation.com cited a 2007 article by USA Today that said only 20% of those pitchers who undergo a second Tommy John surgery comeback.