MONTY NEEDS T.J. SURGERY
TORONTO — When Jordan Montgomery completed a throwing session in the Camden Yards outfield Saturday, the Yankees believed he was making progress on the way back from a strained left elbow.
Tuesday, however, they announced the 25-year-old lefty would undergo Tommy John surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Team physician Chris Ahmad will perform the procedure, which carries a 12-to-18month recovery period.
Montgomery left after one inning on May 1 against the Astros in Houston and the next day was placed on the 10-day disabled list. It was believed Montgomery would miss between six and eight weeks. Now, nobody can predict when the talented lefty will be back.
“I think that was his third or fourth flat ground day and he wasn’t comfortable and shut it down that day,’’ Aaron Boone said before the Yankees faced the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Tuesday evening. “Went home to get checked on and get MRIs and this is the conclusion.’’
Even though Montgomery, whose season ended with a 2-0 ledger and 3.62 ERA in six starts, wasn’t in the rotation the Yankees were confident he would rejoin it at some time. Now that might come at the start of 2020 if Montgomery has to miss all of next season, which is a possibility.
Domingo German, 25, re- placed Montgomery in the rotation and is 0-3 with a 6.33 ERA in five starts. In 27 innings, the skinny righthander who had Tommy John surgery in 2015 has allowed 22 hits, struck out 26 and issued 12 walks.
Boone said German would remain in the rotation but Montgomery’s surgery impacts the Yankees on several fronts. If a starter is needed to come from the minors the first name to be called likely would be Jonathan Loaisiga.
The 23-year-old native of Nicaragua is 5-0 with a 2.37 ERA in eight combined starts for Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton.