Pirates right-hander Santana to undergo Tommy John surgery

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Edgar Santana will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2019 season, the team announced Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Edgar Santana will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2019 season, the team announced Wednesday.

The operation, performed to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow, carries a typical recovery timetable of at least 12 months.

Santana last pitched Friday, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk without recording an out. He went for an MRI after experiencing forearm discomfort during the outing.

Overall, the 26-year-old impressed in his first full season coming out of the bullpen, posting a 3.26 ERA in 69 appearances. He struck out 54 against 12 walks in 66 1/3 innings.

Santana made his major league debut last year, posting a 3.50 ERA in 19 outings.