Japanese right-hander Shinji Mori said Tuesday he will undergo surgery for a shoulder injury sustained in a minor league exhibition game the previous day.
Mori saw his first-year stint in North America end after just three pitches in the game when he dislocated his right shoulder and suffered a torn labrum. The injury is expected to sideline him for the entire season.
"I have to have the shoulder operated on here. All I can do now is just try and settle down," he said.
Mori, 31, started against the Philadelphia Phillies and fell to the ground holding his right shoulder after throwing his third pitch into the dirt in his first spring outing since signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in January.
An article posted on Tampa Bay's official Web site said the former Seibu Lions player, who later received an MRI, would need surgery and "probably be out 12 months."
Tampa Bay acquired Mori through the posting system, in which major league clubs present sealed bids for Japanese players, and signed Mori to a two-year contract worth a reported $1.5 million with a club option for another two years.
Mori spent nine seasons in Japanese baseball without suffering a serious injury after joining Seibu in 1997 as a second-round draft pick. He has a 44-44 career record with 50 saves and a 3.39 ERA and was named the best setup man in the Pacific League in 2002 and 2003.
Last year, he went 2-2 with five saves and a 4.22 ERA in 48 games.