Sophomore left-handed pitcher Dylan Duarte will not pitch this summer as he recovers from an elbow injury, a team spokesman confirmed on Thursday.
Duarte missed the final weekend series of the season against Vanderbilt with the injury as a precaution. The elbow has caused him some problems since high school and began to recur again this spring. Duarte remains under the care of a team physician. He is expected to return in time for fall practice.
The southpaw started 13 games for Alabama this season after working as a key reliever as a freshman. He finished the 2017 season with a 2-6 record and a 5.69 earned run average across 61 2/3 innings, third-most on the team. He struck out 46 while allowing 44 hits and 19 walks.
His best outing of the season came against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on March 12, when he pitched six shutout innings and allowed one hit and one walk in a 12-2 win.
