Man, so I’ve been hearing a lot about this pitcher, Cade Kuehler, and how he’s gotta go through Tommy John surgery. It’s a real bummer when these young guys get hit with something like this, especially when they’re just starting to make a name for themselves. I mean, this dude was a second-round pick, number 8 prospect in the Atlanta system, you know? Big things expected from him.
So, I started digging into this whole Tommy John thing, and it’s pretty wild. They call it ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Basically, there’s this ligament in your elbow, the ulnar collateral ligament, and it gets all torn up from the stress of throwing a baseball over and over again. What they do in this surgery is they go in there and fix that busted ligament.
First, I had to do research for it. I found that this surgery is a big deal. It’s not some quick fix. I read that the recovery time is usually 12-14 months, at least. That’s a whole year or more where this guy can’t even play. Imagine putting your life on hold like that. And it’s not just waiting around, either. They start with physical therapy, just trying to get the elbow moving again and build back strength. I went through physical therapy once for a messed-up knee, and let me tell you, it’s no walk in the park.
- It’s for fixing a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow.
- Recovery takes a long time, like 12-14 months.
- There’s a lot of physical therapy involved.
What is Tommy John surgery?
From what I gather, the first step for Kuehler is to undergo the knife, get that surgery done. Then the real work starts with physical therapy. Man, I hope he has some great people around him. You need a good support system when you’re going through something like this. Family, friends, coaches, medical staff, they all play a role in helping him get back on the field.
I was reading that even big names like Acuna and Strider are dealing with this stuff, and the Braves aren’t even expecting them back for the 2025 opener. That gives you an idea of how serious this is. It’s not just some minor setback, it’s a major hurdle in these players’ careers.
It sounds like there are a lot of myths about Tommy John surgery, like some people think it makes you throw harder afterward, but from what I learned, that’s not always the case. It is just for fixing your elbow, and there are no guarantees about what happens after. It’s all about the hard work you put into recovery.
Anyway, I just wanted to share what I learned about Cade Kuehler and Tommy John surgery. It’s a tough break for this young pitcher, but I’m hoping he can make a full recovery and get back to chasing his dreams. It’s a long road, but with the right mindset and a lot of hard work, anything is possible. And hey, maybe this will give him time to work on other aspects of his game, come back even stronger, who knows? I’ll be keeping an eye on his progress, that’s for sure. I really hope the best for him.
