BREAKING: Cardinals Announce Star Closer Jordan Hicks Diagnosed With Torn UCL

The St. Louis Cardinals just got the worst possible injury update on young closer Jordan Hicks.

The hard-throwing right-hander has been diagnosed with a torn UCL, and the team is evaluating their options for the 22-year-old reliever.

Hicks was removed from Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels as he was dealing with inflammation in his triceps. He did not pitch the rest of the weekend and then underwent an MRI Monday, which revealed the UCL tear.

This is a devastating loss for the Cardinals, as Hicks will likely be out for the remainder of the season and be forced to undergo Tommy John surgery, which is the case for the most pitchers that suffer the increasingly common UCL injury.

Across 29 relief appearances this season, Hicks has logged 14 saves and a 3.14 ERA while striking out 31 batters. He's known across the league for his ability to light up the radar gun, easily surpassing the 100 MPH mark with his fastball.

With Hicks headed to the IL, the Cardinals will likely deploy John Gant in the closer role, as he's logged an impressive 2.40 ERA across 35 relief appearances, striking out 37 batters.

It's not likely that we'll see Hicks back on a MLB mound until late 2020, or perhaps possibly early 2021. A big blow for the Cards.