Reds closer Madson out for season with elbow injury
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Closer Ryan Madson's first season with the Cincinnati Reds was declared over on Saturday before it had even started as the National League club said he needed season-ending surgery for a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.
Madson, the former Philadelphia Phillies reliever, had signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Reds in the off season.
The right-hander had not pitched in any of the Cactus League spring training games in Arizona because of what was originally diagnosed as right elbow irritation.
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Madson appeared to be making progress in recent weeks, increasing the number of pitches he threw in practice sessions before he was sidelined again after throwing 20 pitches in a game on Tuesday.
Last season he saved 32 of 34 games and posted a 2.37 earned run average with the Phillies.
The leading candidate to take over from Madson could be left-hander Sean Marshall who has been one of baseball's best setup men for the past two seasons.
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Marshall is also new to the Reds pitching staff, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs in December.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, editing by Tony Jimenez)