Nationals reliever Tanner Rainey undergoes Tommy John surgery

The Washington Nationals are still in a somber mood following the Juan Soto trade. Now comes more disappointing news. According to Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports, closer Tanner Rainey had Tommy John surgery to repair his right UCL on Wednesday in Texas. Rainey will be sidelined until at least August 2023.

The Nationals placed Rainey on the 60-day injured list three weeks ago with a UCL sprain. The move signaled Rainey would miss the remainder of the season, but the extent of the injury was unknown. Still, there were expectations within the organization that Tommy John was a likely outcome.

After being a setup reliever for much of his first three seasons, Rainey earned the closer role this year. He had 12 saves in 16 opportunities. In 29 appearances, Rainey had a 3.30 ERA and 1.300 WHIP.

Rainey remains under team control for an additional three years after this season. The 29-year old will embark on a long road to recovery with hopes of rejoining the Nationals either late next season or at the start of the 2024 season at the age of 31.