In 2022, Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie was on top of the world, having posted a 2.96-ERA season and becoming one of the best up-and-coming starters in the American League.
In 2023, however, he was diagnosed with an elbow tear and hasn’t been the same ever since.
He had the opportunity to go under the knife but opted to play through his ailment.
It’s safe to say it didn’t work out in 2024, as he had a 5.11 ERA in 75.2 frames in MLB and was almost as bad in Triple-A when the team demoted him there.
Determined to get his career back on track, the righty is already working out according to Guardians reporter Andre Knott.
.@DreKnott details how Triston McKenzie is working hard to get right this offseason. pic.twitter.com/jycCBeUkKK
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 31, 2024
Knott said he is working out in Arizona, which is where the Guardians complex is located, and someone is looking at him.
He is still not getting surgery, but he seems, according to Knott, determined to give it a real try with all he’s got.
There have been cases of pitchers who have been successful while playing with partial UCL tears.
Masahiro Tanaka did it for years with the New York Yankees, for example.
McKenzie reportedly didn’t feel pain this year, but he definitely lost velocity and command and it impacted his numbers and his play so much that he was unplayable at the MLB level.
The fact he is already working out and preparing his arm for the 2025 campaign is encouraging and speaks volumes about his work ethic.
The odds are against him, though, and chances are he is going to eventually need the surgery.
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