Cardinals’ Alex Reyes faces surgery, done for year

An off-speed pitch during a pre-spring training bullpen session effectively ended Alex Reyes’ season before it began. The St. Louis Cardinals said Wednesday the 22-year-old right-hander will have Tommy John surgery to replace a ruptured elbow ligament in his pitching arm.

Reyes took a pre-spring training physical Tuesday, the first day of camp in Jupiter, Fla., was sent for an MRI exam and received preliminary results that evening. Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said Reyes could have surgery as early as Thursday.

Cardinals head orthopedic physician George Paletta will operate.

Reyes made his major league debut last Aug. 9 and was 4-1 with a 1.57 earned-run average in five starts and seven relief appearances. His fastball averaged more than 97 mph.

Adam Wainwright, Carlos Martinez and Lance Lynn are projected as the first three St. Louis starters, and Michael Wacha and Mike Leake were expected to battle with Reyes for the final rotation spots.

Etc.

Mike Napoli has passed his physical, clearing the way for an $8.5-million, one-year deal and his third stint with the Texas Rangers. Two people with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that the deal was done and that Napoli will be introduced Thursday.

He will get a $6-million salary this year, and the agreement includes an $11-million club option for 2018 with a $2.5-million buyout.

Napoli figures to play first base and provide a big bat in the middle of the lineup.

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Atlanta Braves infielder Sean Rodriguez had surgery Wednesday to repair the rotator cuff in his left shoulder.

General Manager John Coppolella said Rodriguez will miss an “indeterminate period of time.” Coppolella said the team “won’t rule him out for the year.”

Rodriguez throws and hits right-handed. He was injured when a vehicle he was driving was rammed by a stolen police car in Miami on Jan. 28.

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Reliever Fernando Salas and the New York Mets finalized a $3-million, one-year contract. Acquired from the Angels in an Aug. 31 trade last year, Salas solidified the seventh inning for New York down the stretch.