Tim Lincecum Injury Update: Giants P Ruled Out for Season After Hip Surgery

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum's season is over after undergoing surgery to repair a nagging hip injury. 

John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed the news Thursday. 

The Giants later released a statement on the news:

Having not pitched since June 27, Lincecum originally hit the disabled list after being struck in the elbow by a line drive off the bat of the Colorado Rockies' DJ LeMahieu, per ESPN.com. It was the first time in his nine-year career that he hit the DL. 

During his time out, things further unraveled. 

Less than a month later, per Dan Gartland of SI.com, Lincecum was diagnosed with a degenerative condition in both hips.    

Just days before his surgery, Lincecum spoke with the Mercury News' Andrew Baggarly about his progress:

"

It’s definitely frustrating, but I’ve got to find a way to move forward. The training staff is definitely doing their best to help me out. ... (The shots) aren’t taking hold the way we had hoped. I don’t know. It’s a band-aid situation. To be honest, we’re trying to explore as many options as we can.

"

Lincecum's time with the Giants could very well be over. His two-year, $35 million contract is up after the 2015 season, per Spotrac.com, and he's struggled to live up to such an expensive deal. 

The two-time Cy Young Award winner has not kept his ERA under 4.00 since 2011 and at times has struggled to stay in the Giants rotation even when healthy. Late in the 2014 season, Lincecum was moved to the bullpen in an attempt to iron out some problems. 

Despite his recent struggles, there's no question Lincecum has been a huge contributor to the Giants' success over the years. Shea believes the Giants should honor Lincecum:

San Francisco has a tough decision on its hands. It can see how Lincecum heals from his surgery and try to work out a new contract with him during the offseason, or it can let him walk. If he asks for anything close to his former deal, it's unlikely that he will be pitching for the Giants in 2016.