PHILADELPHIA -- Easy to be disappointed. Hard to be surprised.
Red Sox reliever Tyler Thornburg will have surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome in his right shoulder tomorrow. The team announced that he is "anticipated to be ready for the 2018 season," meaning his current season is almost certainly finished.
Thornburg has been dealing with shoulder problems and multiple setbacks since spring training. He has routinely gone through a long toss program, only to experience recurring symptoms that have forced him to shut down and rest. The team was hoping to avoid surgery, but after his latest setback, it seems the last resort became the only viable option.