Padres outfielder Tommy Pham estimates he’s at 80% strength after he was stabbed in the lower back last October, he told reporters (including Dennis Lin of the Athletic and Bob Nightengale of USA Today). The 32-year-old opened up about the incident, telling reporters he initially believed he would never play again. Scarier still, Pham says doctors later told him he could have been killed or paralyzed by his wound, which ultimately required more than 200 stitches to close, per Nightengale. Fortunately, he’s on the path to recovery and played in the Padres’ first spring training game today, although he says he’s still not at his previous weight-lifting capabilities. In addition to the stabbing, Pham underwent an offseason surgery to correct a wrist issue, but it seems he’s recovered from that procedure.
More injury-related situations around the game:
- Brewers right-handed pitching prospect Dylan File underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his throwing elbow, team personnel told reporters (including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). The surgery is expected to keep him out of action until at least the middle of June. File was added to Milwaukee’s 40-man roster over the offseason. Given his recovery timetable, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Brewers place him on the 60-day injured list if a need for a 40-man spot arises in the coming weeks.
- Rangers reliever Joely Rodríguez is “a couple of weeks behind” schedule of the team’s other relievers, president of baseball operations Jon Daniels told reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). The southpaw was bothered by an offseason ankle issue; he’s now pain-free, but the injury delayed his ramp-up before spring training. It remains to be seen if he’ll have enough time to build up before Opening Day. Rodríguez was a bright spot in limited time with Texas last season, striking out seventeen while issuing five walks across 12.2 innings of three-run ball.
- The Angels announced that pitching prospect Packy Naughton has a Grade 1 flexor pronator strain, per Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic (Twitter link). He’ll be out of action for three to five weeks. There was some concern for the left-hander after an MRI revealed a UCL sprain yesterday but it seems he’ll avoid the worst case scenario. Naughton was acquired from the Reds in advance of last summer’s trade deadline and could be a big league option for Los Angeles at some point in 2021.
- Another of the Angels’ acquisitions at the 2020 trade deadline, right-hander Gerardo Reyes, left this afternoon’s spring training contest with discomfort in his throwing elbow, per a team announcement. The 27-year-old reliever came over from the Padres in the Jason Castro deal. Reyes has a 7.62 ERA/3.38 SIERA over 26 MLB innings.
Angels pitching injuries starting up already
Packy Naughton sounds like the name of a gangster in a 1930s movie. I mean that as a compliment.
Great name
They are two pitchers who had zero ability to have any impact for months.. Big whoop.
Or a tough Irish dude iron worker who eats his lunches on 80 story high steel beams
Or a peripheral character in the Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels universe
Tommy Pham is a beast 200 stitches and at 80% strength. Man glad he was ok after that
The ER doctor told him that the abundance of muscle tissue in his back likely either saved his life or saved him from permanent paralysis. The blade couldn’t penetrate down to the spinal cord.
Very close call with Pham and glad he’s ok. So it looks like he’ll be making it rain more often at strip clubs.
Packy and Reyes are now officially members of the Angels pitching staff.
Pham’s stabbing was nutty. Awesome strip clubs could be open but not open air baseball stadiums or youth sports.
Don’t even start
Then again, strip clubs have always been full of things I don’t want to catch ha ha.
A lot of unhealthy people over 75 hang out in strop clubs?
I personally don’t know, but if not, then the clientele of strip clubs are not at much risk.
Pedro Strop clubs?
Pedro was such a frequent visitor that many of those clubs have been renamed. I can’t be the only one who knows this. :)
No. Do start. He’s right
I bet Dylan File doctors the ball on the mound
I bet they doctor the ball at the Strop Club
Another entry into the Dylan File !!
“The way I look at it, my time wasn’t quite yet. So, God kind of has other plans for me.”
Not sure what God thinks about any of this, but hopefully Pham finds a different strip club to patronize.
They smile in your face…
Starting to think some of the angel’e prospects fake injury week one of spring training. This seems super familiar but I can’t put a finger on it…