Former Royals reliever Aaron Crow needs Tommy John surgery

Doctors have told former Royals reliever Aaron Crow, traded in the offseason to the Miami Marlins, that he needs season-ending elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

Crow will get a second opinion but expects to have the procedure.

“That’s a big blow for him,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said Wednesday.

A four-year veteran, Crow went 6-1 with a 4.12 ERA in 61 appearances last season for Kansas City but was left off the Royals’ postseason roster. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed two runs and six hits over eight innings during seven spring-training games this year with nine strikeouts and four walks.

Selected by Kansas City with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, Crow was traded to the Marlins in November for 6-foot-7 left-hander Brian Flynn and right-hander Reid Redman. Crow is making $1,975,000 this year.

Flynn is still competing for the last spot in the Royals’ bullpen after posting a 2.77 ERA in spring training.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Former Royals reliever Aaron Crow needs Tommy John surgery."