Motte's season could be over

AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee

By Derrick Goold

If his right elbow does not respond to rest and ongoing treatment by the end of this month, Cardinals closer Jason Motte will be scheduled for ligament replacement surgery and miss the entire season.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak announced the May 1 deadline after damage in Motte’s ligament was confirmed Tuesday during a followup visit with the team’s physician.

A magnetic resonance imaging scan and ultrasound taken of Motte’s forearm and elbow allowed the doctor to look beneath Motte’s strained flexor tendon and clearly see damage to the ligament. The righty has a Grade 1 tear of the ligament and if it does not respond to treatment within three weeks Tommy John surgery will be likely. 

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