TBO: Brian Anderson’s Injury Is Career-Ending

Brian Anderson...it’s a damn shame.

LHP Brian Anderson’s improbable comeback story is finished.

An MRI exam Thursday morning revealed Anderson had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow for the third time, and had torn the flexor mass muscle for the second time. It’s a career-ending injury for the 35-year-old, who last pitched in the majors May 8, 2005, but was well ahead of schedule this spring.

“It’s really a big disappointment,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “He was doing so well and we were starting to count on the fact that he was really going to be able to help us this year. It really was looking like he would be able to, both on the mound and in the clubhouse. Exceptional young man. It’s really a tough one, because he was really excited about this, he came here in great shape, he did all the right things. It just did not want to work out for him.”

Anderson reinjured his elbow Wednesday, walking off the mound in the middle of an at-bat after allowing hits to the first two batters. He said afterward he felt something break loose in his elbow and hoped it was just scar tissue.

“If it’s not, there’s nothing to even talk about,” he said. “It would be the bad one and you move on from there.”