{"id":67048,"date":"2024-02-23T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=67048"},"modified":"2024-02-22T14:59:20","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T19:59:20","slug":"important-injury-comebacks-spring-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/02\/23\/important-injury-comebacks-spring-training\/","title":{"rendered":"The Five Most Important Injury Comebacks of the Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Monday marked the most important injury comeback in baseball. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/o\/ohtansh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a> faced live pitching in 169 days as he has quickly moved with his progression this spring after offseason elbow surgery. Then, there was the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/12\/09\/shohei-ohtani-record-breaking-contract\/\" target=\"_self\">$700 million contract<\/a> he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His first look in a Dodgers uniform could very well be on Opening Day at the Gocheok Skydome in Seoul on March 20. Ohtani isn&#8217;t the only player who is coming back from surgery as many well-known names are slowly making their way back.<\/p>\n<p>These are the most important injury comebacks of the spring.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Shohei Ohtani spoke to the media and shared his confidence in being ready to go for the season opener in Korea. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/flglDGoFWr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/flglDGoFWr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SportsNetLA\/status\/1760496589599371560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Important Injury Comebacks to Watch<\/h2>\n<h3>Jacob deGrom\/Max Scherzer, Texas Rangers<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/degroja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jacob deGrom<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/scherma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Max Scherzer<\/a> aren&#8217;t the only Rangers players with injuries. There&#8217;s also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/seageco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Corey Seager<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mahlety01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyler Mahle<\/a>. Out of the four-pack, only Seager has any shot to be ready by Opening Day. General manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=youngch04,youngch03,young-010chr&amp;search=Chris+Young&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Young<\/a> said all three pitchers are set to return this summer. deGrom played catch twice last week when the Rangers opened spring training camp. The former New York Met had Tommy John in June, and he will <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MichaelJBier\/status\/1757843579274195157\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">continue the standard course<\/a> of recovery with 25 more throws in the meantime. He&#8217;s throwing from 40 feet on flat ground, as he is still weeks away from pitching on the mound.<\/p>\n<p>Scherzer missed the final six weeks of the 2023 season due to a muscle strain his right shoulder. He was able to make three starts for the Rangers during their World Series run. After having back surgery in December, the right-hander won&#8217;t be cleared to throw until at least March 7. The Rangers hope he&#8217;s available in June like deGrom and Mahle.<\/p>\n<h3>Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/h3>\n<p>The Dodgers rotation is no joke and they&#8217;ll be a forced to be reckon with. Their new additions are set to be spectacular, but their best pitcher over the last few seasons won&#8217;t be ready to pitch. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/buehlwa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Walker Buehler<\/a> All-Star is unlikely to pitch in spring training as manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=roberda07,roberda06,roberda05,roberda03&amp;search=Dave+Roberts&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dave Roberts<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/THEREAL_DV\/status\/1759638300955189549\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">failed to give a timeframe for a return<\/a>. Buehler last pitched in June 2022 after suffering an elbow injury that later resulted in Tommy John surgery. Los Angeles have been without their ace for a year and a half and when he returns, he can establish himself as the best pitcher in the rotation. He owns a 46-16 lifetime record with a 3.02 ERA, 690 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP in 638 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n<h3>Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/salech01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Sale<\/a> has spent the past four seasons limited by multiple injuries. Has he finally turned a corner? Sale is looking forward to a fresh start with Atlanta, who acquired him from the Boston Red Sox for Vaughn Grishom. The left-hander put up Hall of Fame numbers when he finished in the top six in American League Cy Young Award voting in seven straight seasons (2012-2018). A <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DOBrienATL\/status\/1760709158960062892\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">clean start to the season<\/a> doesn&#8217;t guarantee that Sale will be able to a take on 30-plus starts in the rotation for Atlanta.<\/p>\n<h3>Edwin D\u00edaz, New York Mets<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diazed03,diaz--005edw&amp;search=Edwin+D\u00edaz&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edw<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diazed03,diaz--005edw&amp;search=Edwin+D\u00edaz&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diazed03,diaz--005edw&amp;search=Edwin+D\u00edaz&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> D\u00edaz<\/a> is finally back from a brutal injury that sidelined him for all of 2023.\u00a0 Losing their closer during the World Baseball Classic was the first of many blows for New York. It eventually resonated throughout the year, shfiting roles for the entirety of the New York&#8217;s bullpen. Just 11 months removed from surgery, the Mets are going to take is slow with their elite closer. It&#8217;s well thought strategy from Mets manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=mendoca01,mendoz005car,mendoz006car&amp;search=Carlos+Mendoza&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-02-22_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carlos Mendoza<\/a> along with the coaching and training staff. The Mets need D\u00edaz to be the<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNYtv\/status\/1758184645772853740\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> elite closer he was<\/a> back in 2022. Back then, he posted a 1.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 32 saves with 118 strikeouts in 62 innings.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo: \u00a9 Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Monday marked the most important injury comeback in baseball. Shohei Ohtani faced live pitching in 169 days as he has quickly moved with his progression this spring after offseason elbow surgery. Then, there was the $700 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His first look in a Dodgers uniform could very well [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3686,"featured_media":67127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1071],"tags":[48,4683,198,1931,6273,92,79,164,2178,259,2265],"class_list":["post-67048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-mlb","tag-atlanta-braves","tag-carlos-mendoza","tag-chris-sale","tag-edwin-diaz","tag-jacob-degrom","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-max-scherzer","tag-new-york-mets","tag-shohei-ohtani","tag-texas-rangers","tag-walker-buehler"],"modified_by":"Matt Graves","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67048"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67048\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}