"The Charlotte Knights got a scare on Wednesday when stud prospect Tanner McDougal was forced to leave his start early. The 23-year-old pitcher was experiencing forearm tightness, which required further testing. Chicago's Triple-A squad proceeded to announce that McDougal will now hit the seven-day IL as he works through the issue. Both the Knights and White Sox are crossing their fingers that McDougal has evaded any serious trouble."

https://www.si.com/mlb/whitesox/onsi/white-sox-notes-tanner-mcdougal-s-injury-scare-fantastic-offensive-numbers-30

Crossing my fingers for Tanner.

5 hours ago, tray said:

"The Charlotte Knights got a scare on Wednesday when stud prospect Tanner McDougal was forced to leave his start early. The 23-year-old pitcher was experiencing forearm tightness, which required further testing. Chicago's Triple-A squad proceeded to announce that McDougal will now hit the seven-day IL as he works through the issue. Both the Knights and White Sox are crossing their fingers that McDougal has evaded any serious trouble."

https://www.si.com/mlb/whitesox/onsi/white-sox-notes-tanner-mcdougal-s-injury-scare-fantastic-offensive-numbers-30

Crossing my fingers for Tanner.

That's dire.

Is flexor strain good news or bad news?

2 minutes ago, Lukakke Appling said:

Is flexor strain good news or bad news?

It's not the worst news for sure. It's not great, but it's not losing him until 2028, at least so far.

10 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It's not the worst news for sure. It's not great, but it's not losing him until 2028, at least so far.

I recently watched Tanner on a post game show on CSHN and he came off like a nice relaxed person off the field but an intense competitor on the field.

22 minutes ago, Lukakke Appling said:

Is flexor strain good news or bad news?

I read the average time lost with a flexor brain is 117 days and 20% of the time, leads to TJS. So I would say this sucks

-Yes, a flexor strain (particularly in the forearm flexor-pronator mass) is often associated with UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) injuries and can serve as a precursor or warning sign for potential Tommy John surgery, though it’s not a guaranteed direct cause. drahmadsportsmedicine.com

Key Connections

• Anatomical and functional link: The flexor-pronator muscles (e.g., flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum superficialis, pronator teres) attach near the UCL on the medial elbow and act as dynamic stabilizers. They help absorb valgus (outward) stress during throwing. When these muscles are strained or weakened, more stress shifts to the UCL, increasing injury risk. imhurtnowwhat.io

• Strong statistical association in baseball pitchers (the most common group for Tommy John surgery):

• One study of MLB pitchers found that ~19-20% who sustained a forearm muscle strain required Tommy John surgery within 1 year. drahmadsportsmedicine.com

• Flexor-pronator (FF) injuries are significantly associated with concomitant UCL injuries in throwing athletes. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• Combined injuries are common on MRI, especially with distal UCL tears. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• Clinical implications: A flexor strain often prompts close evaluation of the UCL. Symptoms can overlap (medial elbow pain), but a true UCL tear (or high-grade sprain) is more likely to involve a “pop,” instability, and loss of velocity, while flexor strains may feel more like muscle soreness or tightness. Weak or fatigued flexors increase UCL load. ijspt.scholasticahq.com

Not Always a Direct Precursor

• Many flexor strains heal with rest, physical therapy, and strengthening without UCL damage or surgery.

• However, they signal potential overload, especially if pitchers return too soon or have poor mechanics, high pitch volume, or velocity demands.

• In some cases (e.g., older players), combined flexor-pronator + UCL injuries can lead to worse outcomes even after surgery. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prevention and Management

Strengthening the flexor-pronator group, monitoring workload, addressing mechanics, and allowing full recovery from strains can help protect the UCL and reduce surgery risk. blog.armcare.com

Bottom line: A flexor strain is a red flag—especially in overhead throwers—that warrants UCL assessment. It doesn’t always lead to Tommy John surgery, but the data shows a clear elevated risk if not managed properly. Consult a sports medicine specialist or orthopedic surgeon (ideally one experienced with throwing athletes) for imaging and personalized advice

Unfortunately it is what it is. I'm guessing DoUEverShift's initial comment is going to prove to be accurate.

Enough ai crap, the thing is he's already had TJS right? I didn't find many stories in pro pitches with a flexor strain after TJS but the few I did (including some guy on the Cubs) it's not good. It certainly doesn't indicate a healthy arm. He's going to be shut down for 3 months and there's still a decent chance he has to have some sort of surgery anyways.

Sucks but what you do man, it's just luck of the draw with SP, you have to stockpile and keep churning. There isn't a single team in baseball with an elite all home grown rotation. I don't think there's even more than a handful that have 2-3 solid SP from their farm at any given time. If we get 2 out of Smith, Schultz and Tanner that's not bad at all.