Hogs lose another pitcher for rest of season with elbow injury

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The injuries are continuing to pile up for Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn as Wednesday the announcement was made right-hander Dylan Carter will miss the rest of the season and have to undergo elbow surgery.

I will be back even stronger! Go Hogs! pic.twitter.com/DJsjlUlQdQ

— Dylan Carter (@dylancarter_24) May 3, 2023

“Razorback Nation: It is with a heavy heart that I announce my 2023 season has come to an end due to a UCL tear,” Carter said in a tweet. “This season has been nothing short of amazing and our teams season isn’t over yet. I will be the best teammate and supporter as we finish up the season and begin our run to Omaha.”

The news comes after Van Horn told reporters following Tuesday’s loss to Lipscomb that the results following Carter’s MRI with dye Monday were not good and he was going to leave it at that.

Carter made 16 appearances out of the bullpen for the Hogs this season, posting a 3.65 ERA in 37 innings. 22.1 of his innings came in SEC play, where he posted a 4.03 ERA across nine outings.

“Soreness,” was the way Van Horn described Carter’s reduced use as he became less and less effective over the last couple of weeks.

It really showed up in the Texas A&M series.

“I had turned to Coach (Hobbs) and said ‘we’ve got to get somebody loose. That’s not the stuff I’m normally seeing,'” Van Horn said. “Dylan threw that pitch, got out of the inning and came to the dugout, and he was in a lot of pain. So, we were just sick, but the first MRI came back negative.”

That obviously changed and now he’s out for the remainder of the season, further eroding a pitching staff where the decimation began before the season ever started with projected No. 1 pitcher Jaxon Wiggins going down and requiring surgery back in fall camp.

Koty Frank’s season ended after suffering a lat injury three weeks into the season.

It’s been that kind of season.