Miami, FL (My Sportsbook) - Florida Marlins pitcher A.J. Burnett underwent successful Tommy John surgery Tuesday and will not return for the remainder of the season. The nearly 90-minute procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama. Burnett had been experiencing pain and inflammation and had no flexibility in his elbow following Friday's game versus the St. Louis Cardinals. An MRI taken Monday revealed the ligament tear in his right elbow. Normal recovery time from the surgery is 12-18 months. Burnett is expected to spend Tuesday night in Birmingham and return to South Florida on Wednesday. In four starts during the 2003 campaign, he went 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA. Lefthander Michael Tejera, who is replacing Burnett in the Marlins' rotation, had Tommy John surgery performed in 2000. |
