Riley Quick injury update: Alabama pitcher undergoes season-ending elbow surgery following flying start to the season

Alabama Crimson Tide pitcher Riley Quick has suffered a season-ending elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. As a result, the sophomore righty will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

Quick started the team's second game of the year against the Manhattan Jaspers and threw three hitless innings with a walk and five strikeouts before leaving the contest. The surgery was performed by Dr. E Lyle Cain of Andrews Sports Medicine on Tuesday.

Alabama coach Rob Vaughn discussed how big of a loss Quick's injury is for the Crimson Tide after their 6-1 win over Middle Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon.

"From what I hear, everything went great, but we'll be obviously without him the rest of the year, which stinks for him," Vaughn said. "That kid works really, really hard. But the good news is he'll get on the road to recovery and we'll be getting him back before we know it." h/t AL.com

Riley Quick had a strong 2023 season as he went 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA and two saves in 22 innings during 16 appearances. It will be interesting to see how the Crimson Tide's pitching staff looks without one of their best pitchers. Alabama has allowed four earned runs (nine total) in 41 innings through five games.

How will the Alabama Crimson Tide look this season without Riley Quick?

Losing Riley Quick for the season is a tough blow to the Alabama Crimson Tide, but they are still one of the top baseball programs in the NCAA. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Crimson Tide are 14th in the nation with +3500 odds to win the College World Series.

They will likely make the super regionals this year with their explosive team, but it will be tough to see this pitching staff hold up without Riley Quick giving quality innings down the stretch. The only bright side of the injury happening so early is that it provides coach Rob Vaughn and the pitchers time to figure out the new roles that have opened up.

This Crimson Tide team has shown the ability to do well, and it will be challenging, but the offense and the rest of the pitching staff should be able to step up in his absence.

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