Dodgers right-hander Carlos Monasterios has Tommy John surgery

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The Dodgers hung on to to Carlos Monasterios, keeping the surprising Rule 5 draft pick all season so they could retain his rights.

Monasterios, who had never really pitched above Class A, was mostly a stunning surprise. He didn’t scream future ace and certainly had his struggles, but he was effective out of the bullpen (1-0, 2.06 ERA in 35 innings).

And it was all about his future anyway.

Only it didn’t arrive this season. He pitched one game at triple-A Albuquerque and was shut down.

On July 15 he underwent Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Monasterios (3-5, 4.38) had a long work load last season. After his first major-league season, he went to the Arizona Instructional League. Then he went home to pitch in the Venezuela Winter League.

Maybe we should have become suspicious that something was amiss when he pitched only eight innings during spring training, allowing 14 hits.

Monasterios is 26, so there is still plenty of time for him to make a comeback. And he’s a control pitcher, not someone who had to blow it by people.

But a year of patience on both his and the Dodgers’ part has gone unrewarded in the short term.

-- Steve Dilbeck