Sadly, the run that Joe Nathan has enjoyed as an All-Star closer for the Minnesota Twins may be over.  After leaving Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox with stiffness in his pitching elbow, Nathan has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Normally, such an injury requires reconstructive surgery, but there are a scant few cases in which rehabilitation allows a pitcher to return to the mound.

“I could be one of those guys. I might not be,” Nathan said. “If I’m able to go out there and throw, then I’ll definitely give it a shot. The only reason that I would get a surgery done is if I’m just unable to go out there.”

Considering that elbow required surgery just last fall, and considering that Nathan is 35 years old, the odds are not in his favor. Even more disconcerting is should Nathan require surgery, the recovery time is 12 to 18 months. Given his age, this might be the end for a man who has notched 246 saves over the last six seasons, the most in the major leagues during that span.

Team doctors are going to allow two weeks to allow the swelling to subside, along with a course of physical therapy to see if Nathan can return to the mound in two weeks. If he is unable, his elbow will require surgical reconstruction, which will more than likely mean the end of his career as a Twin, if not entirely.