Braves ace Kris Medlen out for season

KISSIMMEE, Fl. — Braves pitcher Kris Medlen drove to Pensacola, Fla. Monday to see Dr. James Andrews, expecting to have to undergo a second Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, and that’s what he’ll do.

Andrews confirmed that Medlen tore his ulnar collateral ligament again and operated on Medlen for the second time in less than four years early Tuesday afternoon. Instead of pitching Opening Day as he was projected to do, Medlen’s season is over, and now he’ll begin the fight to prolong his career.

“The news is obviously very tough, but I knew when I walked off the mound mid-inning (on March 9) what I had felt,” Medlen said in a text message Monday afternoon, afraid he might get emotional in a phone call. “The love and support I’ve felt from my family, teammates — they go hand in hand — the Braves organization, and Braves fans everywhere really means the world to me and will definitely help me through all this.”

Medlen was joined on his visit to see Andrews by Braves right-hander Brandon Beachy, who is facing his own prospects of undergoing a second Tommy John surgery. Beachy had to leave a spring training game against the Phillies after only two innings the day after Medlen walked off the mound against the Mets, and tests revealed more ligament damage.

Beachy is headed to Los Angeles to seek another opinion on his right elbow ligament from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, a team orthopedist for the Dodgers and prot