Diamondbacks lose opening-day starter Patrick Corbin to elbow injury

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Zach Greinke’s comments about only a few Dodgers being giddy over opening the season in Sydney had turned most of Australia into Diamondbacks fans, now the rest of the world might be pulling for them in the two-game series.

It’s hard not to feel sorry for the Diamondbacks after it was learned Sunday their No. 1 starting pitcher, Patrick Corbin, was scratched from the trip with a sore elbow and could be headed for Tommy John surgery.

Corbin was scheduled to start the opener against the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw on Saturday, but now Arizona will go with Wade Miley. Last season Corbin was the Diamondbacks’ top starter, going 14-10 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.17 WHIP.

The left-hander was scheduled to throw 100 pitches Saturday, but on his 91st pitch he felt something in his forearm. An MRI exam that night showed a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament. Corbin is scheduled to have a second opinion before a decision is made on surgery. A Tommy John procedure typically requires at least a 12-month recovery.

Dodgers’ right-hander Chad Billingsley had the surgery April 25 last season and is not expected back until sometime this May.

Miley went 10-10 with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP last season. It’s uncertain who will replace Corbin in Arizona’s rotation.