Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑07 Oct 2025 07:59 am
As the Cardinals search for pitching help this winter, how do you feel about acquiring pitchers coming off of Tommy John surgery? The recovery rates are good, but there is a risk.
Success rates are good, but as someone else pointed out, full recovery times vary from arm to arm. Alcantara's a prime example. He wasn't great the year before surgery and definitely not "himself" the first full season after surgery.
Being 30 one would assume he'll regain his previous form but you never know until you know.
I'm all for it. I don't think it's any secret that we're not going to be swimming in deep waters this offseason, but I'm perfectly fine rolling the dice on pitchers who've been injured but had some talent beforehand--depending on who it is and what the injury was.
I know Carp had shoulder trouble, but I'd rather stay away from those guys. Shoulders are TOUCHY. You can more or less rebuild an elbow. Not so much with shoulders.
I expect his bidding will get real high, real fast given that he's shown that he's healthy and can be effective again. But something like that I'd be all over.
