GOODYEAR, Ariz. — As soon as once more, Guardians pitching prospect Daniel Espino has undergone surgical procedure.
On Wednesday in Los Angeles, Dr. Neal ElAttrache carried out one more surgical procedure on Espino’s proper shoulder — this time to restore an damage to the shoulder capsule and rotator cuff. He’s not anticipated to pitch in 2024.
“It is heartbreaking in quite a lot of methods,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti stated. “There may be not an individual that would do any greater than Daniel has and each time he is confronted an impediment, he commits absolutely to the rehab course of. He goes above and past all the pieces that our athletic coaching workers or energy coach asks, and he does all of that whereas persevering with to be a unprecedented teammate.
“I simply really feel for Daniel that he’s going to have one other prolonged rehab in entrance of him.”
It’s been an countless highway to restoration for Espino, who first was sidelined in the beginning of Could 2022. First it was tendinitis in his knee. As he tried to ramp again up, he had shoulder soreness, which led to surgical procedure on the realm over that offseason. He missed the whole 2023 season and got here into camp this 12 months able to get again on the mound. As a substitute, he’s including a second surgical procedure to this ever-growing checklist.
This must be a intestine punch to Espino. We all know it’s for the group. However the 23-year-old, hard-throwing righty who was atop the MLB Pipeline prospects checklist for the Guardians is about to overlook his second consecutive full season resulting from a nagging downside. This was a man who made huge leaguers cease of their tracks to look at his dwell batting follow periods throughout Minor League Spring Coaching. His fastball is elite, sitting at 95-98 mph and topping out at 103 mph. He has good really feel for his above-average slider. His curveball and changeup had been bettering, too.
This was a hurler able to be an ace within the Majors. Now, the longer term is much more unsure than it was final 12 months. Espino got here into camp with a easy purpose: Pitch in at the very least one recreation this 12 months. All of the sudden, that’s unattainable.
Espino’s perspective was upbeat. He talked about leaning on his household to assist him by this course of. He credited the damage to studying extra about his food regimen and getting himself in higher form for the season. Espino by no means questioned if he’d be the identical pitcher he was in the beginning of 2022. But it surely’s onerous to think about doubt not creeping up on him at this level.
Espino is anticipated to return to Goodyear, Ariz., to start one more post-operative rehab program. The Guardians are within the very early phases of determining what the long-term image seems like. No timetable has been set simply but.
However Espino had an inspiring outlook on all of this only a few weeks in the past, earlier than he bought the latest devastating information. It’s a mantra he’s going to must lean on much more now.
“I’m a believer and I do know that God has one thing ready for me,” Espino stated in the beginning of camp. “He’s not gonna put one thing in entrance of me that I’m not gonna be capable to deal with.”
The group believes in him, too.
“If there’s anybody they will overcome this, it is Daniel,” Antonetti stated. “I put my cash on him.”
