Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Marcos Mateo underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Friday, as Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports. The 28-year-old never played in a live game yet this year, last appearing in the big leagues last season with Chicago.
Over 23 appearances with the Cubs in 2011, Mateo posted a 4.30 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 10 walks over 23 innings of work. According to FanGraphs, his fastball averages just a tad under 94 miles per hour, giving him prototypical velocity for a reliever.
Mateo likely would've been given opportunities to contribute this season given the ineptitude of the Cubs' bullpen, but now he's going to miss a key chance to break out in the big leagues. Given the severity of the injury, Mateo likely won't return until early next season.
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