Ramon Ortiz Reduced to Tears After Injuring Arm in What Might Be Final Pitch

Ramon Ortiz's pain transcended anything he felt in his right arm on Sunday night, because the one pitch that sent him to the ground wincing may also be the one to end his career. 

Not all athletes are afforded the luxury of a specific game to call it quits, or a farewell tour when they can savor the final moments of a fruitful career. 

Some are dealt a final blow in a sudden and unfortunate instant. That very well may be the plight of the Blue Jays' 40-year-old pitcher who suffered an injury to his throwing arm on Sunday. 

MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm has a full report on an emotional turn in Toronto's 11-inning, 7-4 win over the San Diego Padres.

In the top of the third, Ortiz threw a pitch to the Padres' Chase Headley only to throw his glove to the ground in disgust moments later. 

The starting pitcher threw two-plus innings, scattering five hits and giving up four earned runs. The frustration was hardly about his latest outing and more about an arm that may have offered its last pitch in the majors. 

While the severity of the injury wasn't known at the time, manager John Gibbons had this to say after the game. 

"

It doesn't look good, but he'll go to Florida to get examined, get an MRI and we'll have a better idea in the next few days.

I saw him after it happened, in the training room. He has been at this game a long, long time. He has been a pretty healthy guy and this game takes its toll on you. He's a winner, he's a champ. I feel for him.

"

The hope, for all baseball fans, is Ortiz can rebound from what could possibly be a career-ending injury. The right-hander has already proven to be a resilient pitcher, playing all last season in the minors and then winning a spot on the Blue Jays rotation this season. 

Ortiz has pitched for the Angels, Nationals, Reds, Twins, Rockies, Dodgers and Cubs in 11-plus seasons. 

It's obvious what this game has meant to the pitcher, evident by the tears rolling down his cheek as he walked away from the mound, possibly for the last time in his career. 

If this is the end, Ortiz can hold his head high knowing that he gave the sport absolutely everything that his body could handle. 

While the odds may not be on Ortiz's side, every last baseball fan stands firmly behind him in support. 

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