Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo: "It Looks Like [Lucas Giolito] Is Going To Need Tommy John Surgery."

ESPN.com's Keith Law reported on Monday that 18-year-old Washington Nationals' 2012 1st Round pick Lucas Giolito had, "... reinjured his elbow and will be evaluated this week to determine the extent of the injury," citing a "team spokesperson" who confirmed the news. Giolito had, of course, suffered a strain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during his senior year at Harvard-Westlake HS in California, causing the pitcher who was considered a top of the draft prospect before the 2012 season started to drop to no.16 overall where the Washington Nationals selected him knowing that there was a possibility surgery might be necessary at some point in the right-hander's future.

D.C. GM Mike Rizzo talked to reporters later on Monday afternoon and confirmed the news, explaining as reported by CSNWashington.com's Mark Zuckerman, that Giolito was, "... examined by team doctor Wiemi Douoguih and now will head home to Los Angeles to get a second opinion from orthopedist Lewis Yocum." Giolito made his first pro start last week, throwing two innings for the Gulf Coast League Nationals, but as ESPN.com's Mr. Law wrote in his article on the injury, in the second inning, "Giolito's velocity dropped off substantially... and he was pulled from the game for further evaluation." The Nats' GM confirmed this as well, with CSNWashington's Mr. Zuckerman quoting Rizzo explaining that Giolito, "... experienced some soreness afterward, and that's why we had him checked."

"Yes, we knew when we drafted him this was an issue," Rizzo said. "And, you know, we were comfortable with the fact that [the] worst-case scenario was Tommy John surgery, and we'll see where that's headed. Going into this with our eyes wide open, we felt this was a scenario and a possibility."

While Giolito hasn't yet visited Dr. Yocum, in the most-recent edition of The Mike Rizzo Show on 106.7 the FAN in D.C. this morning, the Nats' general manager told host Holden Kushner that Tommy John surgery was likely the next step. "It looks like he is going to need Tommy John surgery," Rizzo said, "He's seen our medical people. We're going to give him a second medical opinion. Dr. Lewis Yocum is going to see him this week some time and we anticipate that he will have Tommy John and if and when he does, it will be done by Lew Yocum. We'll have a rehabilitation schedule in place the same as we've had with Jordan Zimmermann and [Stephen Strasburg] and [2010 2nd Round pick] Sammy Solis and... in a year he'll be a young 19-year-old guy that's come off Tommy John surgery and will begin his ascent up the minor league system."

• Listen To 106.7 the FAN In D.C.'s The Mike Rizzo Show w/ Holden Kushner: