GLENDALE, Ariz. — Present process Tommy John surgical procedure is just the start of an arduous highway to restoration.
The Dodgers are extra conversant in that course of than they wish to be. The group has had a number of pitchers bear Tommy John up to now few years, together with three final season: Emmet Sheehan in Could, adopted by Kyle Damage in July and River Ryan in August.
For gamers coping with severe accidents, being away from the group for therefore lengthy could be an isolating expertise. The one silver lining for the Dodgers recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure final yr was that they weren’t alone whereas rehabbing in Arizona — they had been in a position to lean on one another.
“You do not actually know what it is like till it occurs to you,” Sheehan mentioned. “It is not one thing you need to take care of, but it surely makes it so much simpler having these guys having gone via it.”
Final yr, Sheehan began the season on the injured listing however wasn’t positive if he would want Tommy John surgical procedure. As he weighed his choices, he reached out to Tony Gonsolin, who had undergone the process the earlier September.
As soon as Sheehan decided that getting the surgical procedure was the very best end result for him, he continued to lean on Gonsolin, in addition to Dustin Could. Could underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021 and flexor tendon surgical procedure in ’23, then needed to have an emergency process on his esophagus final summer season.
Sheehan wasn’t searching for medical recommendation. He had the Dodgers’ coaching workers to show to for that. Turning to Gonsolin and Could helped give Sheehan an concept of learn how to navigate the highway forward.
“Attending to study from these guys, particularly early within the course of when the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel was fairly distant, was large,” Sheehan mentioned.
By the point Damage and Ryan got here alongside in the summertime, Sheehan was in a position to shed some mild on the method. Gonsolin was nonetheless round to be a useful resource as effectively, although he had progressed to the purpose of nearing a rehab project by then.
With Damage and Ryan not too far aside of their restoration timelines, the 2 have been in a position to make use of one another as touchpoints as effectively.
“It positively is an efficient peace of thoughts,” Ryan mentioned, “realizing that once they say one thing that you are feeling, it is like, ‘OK, I am not the one one feeling this,’ or it isn’t out of the bizarre, what I am doing or how I am feeling.”
Stated Damage: “It is sort of attention-grabbing to see how we each really feel daily and share how our elbow, shoulder and whatnot is feeling.”
Past the bodily and psychological challenges of rehab, there’s additionally the query of learn how to fill the hours in a day that might usually be occupied with baseball actions. For a lot of rehabbing gamers, it is essentially the most time that they have been left to their very own units — and might’t fill the time with baseball — in the course of the common season in a protracted whereas.
That is one other manner the Dodgers recovering from Tommy John had been in a position to make the very best out of a nasty state of affairs: by merely passing the time collectively.
They performed a whole lot of video video games, as is typical, but additionally made an effort to spend time exterior doing actions that might not intrude with their rehab. Sheehan and Ryan appreciated going fishing, and typically others would be a part of.
At evening, they’d watch Dodgers video games, which typically stirred up combined feelings.
“It is also fairly robust, typically, to observe that sport and see folks on the market and know that you realize you ought to be on the market serving to the group, and you are not in a position to do this,” Sheehan mentioned. “It is not enjoyable.”
Even now, all three Dodgers who had Tommy John final yr are a methods away from having the ability to contribute to the group. Sheehan is the closest, and he is hoping to start a rehab project in Could or June. Damage and Ryan have each resumed enjoying catch, however neither is prone to be an choice till the ultimate month of the season, on the earliest.
No quantity of solidarity adjustments the details of their state of affairs. However they’re discovering a solution to get via it.
“It is arduous not being with all the fellows, being on the baseball video games, desirous to cheer your teammates on,” Ryan mentioned. “That may be difficult. However when you could have group of men you are going via rehab with, it positively makes the times go by so much quicker.”
