MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins right-hander Trevor May had Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and was placed on the 60-day disabled list on Wednesday.
May, who suffered the injury while throwing a curveball against Team USA's Andrew McCutchen in an exhibition game at Hammond Stadium on March 8, saw Rangers team physician Keith Meister for a second opinion in Arlington on Tuesday. May was advised to undergo the season-ending surgery, and he'll have a tendon from his knee removed and used to reconstruct the UCL. The rehab process generally takes 12 months, which means he could be ready for Opening Day 2018.
May, 27, had pitched well enough this spring to become the front-runner for the fifth spot in the rotation. He had worked to refine and shorten his delivery to alleviate stress on his back, which had been an issue for him the last two seasons.
May has a career 5.14 ERA with 214 strikeouts and 65 walks in 203 innings with the Twins since being traded from the Phillies for Ben Revere before the 2013 season. He moved to relief during the '15 season and remained there last year.
May, who is active on social media and partnered with an eSports company this spring, has said that he plans to keep fans updated on his rehab process throughout the year.
To replace May on the 40-man roster, the Twins have purchased the contract of left-hander Craig Breslow.