March 27, 2019
Hagerty was recently diagnosed with an elbow injury that will require season-ending surgery,
Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
The injury likely spells an end to one of the best comeback stories of spring training, as Hagerty had earned an invite to the Cubs' big-league camp after a 13-year layoff from professional baseball. A first-round pick of the Cubs in 2002, Hagerty struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness in the lower minors and stepped away from the game for over a decade before flashing an upper-90s fastball while working out over the winter. The 37-year-old was expected to open the season at Triple-A Iowa or Double-A Tennessee, but the elbow injury will spell an end to that plan. While Bastian notes that Hagerty won't require Tommy John surgery, the elbow procedure could prompt the lefty to hang up his cleats for good.