Washington Nationals right-hander Shawn Hill, bothered by arm problems during a promising but injury-plagued season, will miss his final start Wednesday and will have surgery to resolve a nerve problem in his right elbow, the club said Monday. General Manager Jim Bowden said he "absolutely" expects Hill to be ready for spring training.
Hill, who went 4-5 with a 3.42 ERA in a season limited to 16 starts, had an MRI exam Monday in Washington, and team orthopedist Ben Shaffer recommended the surgery after examining the results.
"His stuff went down a lot his last start," Bowden said in a telephone interview. That night, Hill matched his season high by allowing six runs in a season-low 4 2/3 innings against Philadelphia. Bowden said he went to the clubhouse during the game and talked to Hill after he had been removed.
Nationals' Hill To Miss Final Start, Have Surgery On Elbow