Nationals prospect Cade Cavalli needs Tommy John surgery

Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Washington Nationals pitching prospect Cade Cavalli needs Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery and will miss the 2023 season, general manager Mike Rizzo said.

The team released a statement from Rizzo saying that an MRI exam showed that Cavalli sprained his ulnar collateral ligament.

The right-hander exited a spring training start against the New York Mets after 2 2/3 innings.

“While Cade will not pitch in 2023, he continues to be a very important part of our franchise’s future and we look forward to having him back on the mound,” Rizzo said. “We will provide an update on his surgery when it is available.”

The 24-year-old Cavalli was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft after playing college baseball at Oklahoma. He made his major league debut in August against the Cincinnati Reds, then felt something in his shoulder while playing catch the next day and was shut down for the rest of last season.

He had been expected to be part of Washington’s starting rotation this season as the club continues to try to rebuild. Since winning the 2019 World Series, the Nationals have finished in last place in the NL East three years in a row.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.