GLENDALE, Ariz. — You and Caleb Ferguson probably have something in common. He watched the Dodgers win the World Series from the comfort of his couch too.
“I thought about flying down to Texas,” said Ferguson who was home in Ohio in the early stages of rehab from Tommy John surgery. “But it already really sucked watching it from my couch, knowing that I would be in the bullpen. But it is what it is.
“I watched every pitch. I watched every out, didn’t miss a single game or a single pitch and I was obviously very happy whenever Julio (Urias) struck that last guy out.”
Ferguson could have been the guy striking out hitters in key situations for the Dodgers last postseason. But on Sept. 15, the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow gave out on his third pitch in an outing against the San Diego Padres.
Days later, Ferguson had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow for the second time. Ferguson also had the ligament-replacement procedure in 2014 when he was a senior in high school.
As a Tommy John two-timer, Ferguson is familiar with the long, tedious rehab process that follows — which might be a good thing or a bad thing.
“I get that question a lot and I really don’t know how to answer because I don’t remember anything from my first one,” Ferguson said Wednesday. “It seemed like my first one took a lot longer to get range of motion back but I could be wrong. It was so long ago. I mean it was six years ago when I had my first one so I don’t really remember a ton from it.
“I think it’s gonna be a little bit easier in terms of the rehab side, the treatment side of it because I have better resources than my first go-round. But it’s still going to suck because of how long the process is. I mean, I absolutely hate being hurt and I think everybody does too. My rule of thumb is always to try to spend the least amount of time in the training room as I can. That’s the exact opposite of what I’m doing right now so that definitely sucks.”
Primarily a starter in the minor leagues, Ferguson had grown into his bullpen role last season and pitched well through July and August, allowing just one earned run in his first 15 games while holding batters to a .140 average.
But his elbow started bothering him in September and hitters pounced — a .403 average including three home runs in his last six appearances.
“That’s probably the most frustrating part,” Ferguson said. “I was very open with our training staff, with the coaches. When I needed a day I told them I needed a day. I was very open with everybody through the whole process. The training staff did everything they could do on their end. I did everything on mine, the coaches. It’s really nobody’s fault. I think it was just kind of a weird thing.”
Because it is his second surgery, Ferguson expects the Dodgers’ training staff to err “on the safer side of things.” He will likely stay in Arizona when the Dodgers break camp next weekend and almost certainly won’t pitch in 2021.
“Obviously I think I would like to try to pitch this year but I doubt that’ll happen with it being my second surgery,” he said. “I had brought it up last year when it first happened about trying to pitch in September for this year, and they shot it down immediately.”
For now, the highlight of Ferguson’s days are the 15 to 20 throws he is allowed to make from a distance of about 60 feet. His locker room neighbor, Tommy Kahnle, is also recovering from Tommy John surgery. Kahnle had his in August, putting him ahead of the curve compared to Ferguson.
Ferguson, still just 24 years old, said he was never nervous or worried about undergoing a second Tommy John surgery. In the past three seasons, 36 pitchers have returned to pitch in the major leagues after undergoing the surgery for a second time.
“Guys that have two still have a lot of success,” Ferguson said. “A guy that really comes to mind that I talked to a lot when he was with us was Daniel Hudson, who had two. That guy is doing just fine so I think the success rate with two is still pretty good. It’s just you got to maybe take things a little bit slower and be on the safer side of things, when it comes down to it.”
CHARITY EVENT
Dodgers’ utilityman Chris Taylor will host a virtual musical event on Friday. The charity event will benefit the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and Roc Solid Foundation as a fundraiser to fight pediatric cancer.
A $40 donation to www.HomeRunforHope.com will allow you to listen to the two-hour show (5 to 7 p.m. PT) featuring performances by Brad Paisley, Jake Owen, Scotty McCreery, Shy Carter, Tiera, Alexander Ludwig and D. Vincent Williams plus special guests and an online auction of sports memorabilia.
“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Taylor said. “One of my childhood friends that I grew up with, Kyle Profilet, lost his fight with osteosarcoma (in 2019). … Cancer is something that has affected everyone in some way. If it’s not sarcoma, some form of cancer has. It just felt important to use my platform.”
ALSO
Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to make his first start in a Cactus League game Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. Clayton Kershaw will pitch in a ‘B’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers on the back fields instead. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said pitching in the ‘B’ game will allow the Dodgers to control Kershaw’s workload more closely.
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