The Reds announced Monday that right-handed reliever Tejay Antone has been placed on the 15-day injured list. Righty Carson Spiers has been recalled from Triple-A to take his spot on the roster. While Cincinnati initially announced the injury as “elbow inflammation,” manager David Bell now tells the Reds beat that Antone tore a tendon completely off the bone and suffered a partial ligament tear in his right elbow (X link via Mark Sheldon of MLB.com). He’ll undergo surgery Friday. It’s a brutal setback for Antone, who previously had Tommy John surgery both in 2017 and again in 2021.
The surgery will unsurprisingly end Antone’s season. However, despite the slew of elbow troubles that have plagued him throughout his career, Antone’s intention is to continue pitching once he’s again navigated a lengthy and arduous rehab process, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
It’s hard not to feel for Antone, who was quietly one of baseball’s best relievers in 2020-21 before this latest batch of arm troubles surfaced. He pitched 69 innings across those two seasons and recorded a pristine 2.48 ERA with a huge 32.3% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. Antone averaged 97 mph on his heater and induced swinging strikes at a hearty 13% clip along the way. His 48% ground-ball rate was well north of the league average. It was a brief peak, but it’s easy to see how the Reds felt that Antone could be a major part of their bullpen based on those first 36 appearances of his career.
Antone didn’t pitch in 2022 and got back on a big league mound for only 5 2/3 innings last season. He tossed 9 2/3 spring frames and another two regular-season innings in 2024 before the injury. Since making it back from his last Tommy John procedure, Antone has averaged a diminished 94.2 mph on his fastball.
Remarkably, Antone will finish the current season with five years of major league service time despite only having pitched 76 2/3 big league innings. It’s possible that this latest injury spells the end of Antone’s time with the Reds. It won’t cost much to retain him via arbitration this offseason, as he pitched just two innings on an $830K salary this year. Whether the Reds tender him a contract will depend on how much of the 2025 season he’s expected to miss.
Even if they want to free up his 40-man roster spot over the winter, however, the Reds could non-tender Antone in November and quickly re-sign him to a new minor league deal so he can continue rehabbing in a familiar setting. For now, the focus will be on fixing the damage in his elbow and working through the early phases of the rehab grind. He’ll surely have not just Reds fans throughout the sport in his corner, given the admirable level of perseverance he’s displayed as he continues working through his elbow problems.
Oh, man. Hang in there, Tejay. You’re a good dude. Hope you hang with the organization whatever happens.
Spiers? Hope he doesn’t throw more batting practice this time around.
Too bad, this might be worse than TJ.
Sorry to hear this! Third TJS in 7 years is not good. Hope you’re better soon…and coaching is easier.
Jeez, a torn ligament for the third time plus a tendon torn completely off the bone? That is devastating news for a guy the Reds fanbase thinks highly of, both as a pitcher and as a person. Good luck, young man. I hope you can come back from this and return to form.
Well said
Hate to hear this news. Tejay has come back twice from elbow issues, but this may be too much to overcome. Wish him the best!
At 30, this doesn’t look good. Do well, sir, you have a whole city and then some rooting for you.
Darn good pitcher but man this dude can’t stay healthy to save his life.
Has a weird delivery. Obviously it has contributed to the injury. Once healed go back to the drawing board or go and sell used cars for a living.
Another tough break.. Hang in there TJ!
Was always excited about what this guy could do in our bullpen, tons of talent.
He should try the other arm