Detroit Tigers’ Joe Nathan Out For the Season

Joe Nathan's season is officially over before it have even really begun.

The Tigers announced Thursday the right-handed closer tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow during Wednesday's rehab appearance in Toledo. Nathan is now scheduled undergo his second Tommy John surgery later this spring.

Previously, the same injury and surgery have kept Nathan out of the entire 2010 season, and he struggled quite a bit when he returned in 2011.

Experts are speculating that this injury and subsequent surgery may end the 40-year-old pitcher's career entirely.

Nathan told Fox Sports Detroit that he's going to go at this injury at procedure, "110 percent, just like I do anything, and I'm going into it with the goal of pitching again in the major leagues."

Nathan came into the 2015 after one of the worst seasons of his career. On Opening Day he only pitched to one batter. Because of the recovery time needed after Tommy John surgery, he would be a 41-year-old free agent who wouldn't be ready to pitch in spring training for the 2016 season.