Chad Green may thrown his last pitch as a Yankee, as the team officially announced Sunday that Green will undergo Tommy John surgery, the final resolution for his forearm strain that knocked him out of Thursday’s game after a pickoff throw.
“What Greeny means to this team, and what a great, reliable player he’s been for us, it’s tough news,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Green was acquired, along with Luis Cessa, from the Tigers for Justin Wilson back in December 2015, and since his MLB debut in 2016, no one has thrown more innings out of the bullpen for the Yankees than Green.
The right-hander had thrown 15 innings in 14 games this year, one season removed from tossing a career-high 82 2/3 innings (with a 3.12 ERA) in 2020. For his career, Green has a 3.17 ERA in 383 2/3 innings over 272 appearances, but his future with the team is now uncertain.
Green, who turns 31 on Tuesday, is scheduled to become a free agent this winter, and with Tommy John recovery timeline running anywhere from 12-16 months, at least part of his 2023 will be compromised.
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Boone is certain that wherever Green ends up and whenever he returns, he’ll be the same old Greeny.
“With the surgery, there’s usually some certainty to it,” the skipper said. “It’s usually something that pitchers are able to return from. I know he will. He’s an outstanding athlete that takes great care of himself and has a really good work ethic. I know that, in time, he’ll be fine, and I expect him to pitch several more years at the level we’ve come to expect.”
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