The latest on top Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata’s UCL injury

The 21-year-old right-hander will not need surgery.

There is no timetable for Bryan Mata's return. Jim Davis/Globe Staff

March 6, 2021

1 minute to read

Bryan Mata, the top pitching prospect of the Red Sox according to Baseball America, suffered a slight UCL tear in his pitching elbow that will sideline him for what appears to be a significant amount of time.

The 21-year-old right-hander will not need surgery, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, but there’s currently no timetable for his return.

“The doctors and physicians feel like it’s small enough so with treatment, and doing that, he should be fine,” Cora told reporters.

Mata was scheduled to pitch Wednesday but instead received an MRI the following day after experiencing right tricep soreness. Cora is disappointed by the setback yet confident the organization is taking the right approach.

Cora said there will be a few checkpoints throughout the process. If Mata is disciplined, and follows everything as he’s supposed to, it should theoretically be feasible for him to return at some point.

Bryan Mata, a top pitching prospect for the Red Sox, has a slight tear in his UCL. They will go with treatment and think he should be fine. No time-table. “If he’s disciplined and follows everything we’re set to do, the hope is for him to come back.”

— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) March 6, 2021

He added that the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) is a tricky injury because it affects pitching so much. Cora said that it will require patience from both Mata and the Red Sox, pointing out that Mata did an “amazing job” in the offseason to prepare for the opportunity.

Cora said it was tough news to receive, and he believes the Venezuela native Mata will be “part of the equation in the future.”

Mata went 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 10 starts in Single-A Salem, striking out over a batter an inning. His 96-to-98 mile fastball helps separate him from other pitchers.

“He is very important for us,” Cora said. “It’s a tough one. But at the same time we do believe he is going to bounce back and he is going to be OK.”