Snell has elbow surgery, still eyeing Sept. return

BOSTON -- Blake Snell and the Rays received some good news on Monday as the club announced that the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow.

Snell was diagnosed with the injury last week after feeling some discomfort while throwing a bullpen session leading up to his next start, which was originally scheduled for Saturday against Toronto.

Dr. Koco Eaton performed the surgery in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the club still anticipates that Snell will be ready to join the team at some point in September.

“I’m looking forward [to returning in September] and I’m looking forward to that, and that’s my goal,” Snell said Thursday. “But at the same time, that’s just from what I’ve heard and I don’t know how my body is going to react or anything like that. I feel like in September, I’ll be ready to go.”

The left-hander is 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA this season, but he had been much better over his last four starts, posting a 1.64 ERA over 22 innings. It’s the second time that Snell has been on the injured list this season after missing two starts due to a fractured right fourth toe in April.

With Snell out, the Rays will continue to depend on Charlie Morton, Yonny Chirinos, Ryan Yarbrough, Brendan McKay and Jalen Beeks to pitch the bulk of the innings in the rotation.