Cincinnati Reds reliever Tejay Antone, who missed the entire 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, won't be ready for the start of the 2023 season because of a right flexor strain, he announced in an Instagram video Tuesday.
Antone, 29, was one of the Reds' best relievers during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He's posted a 2.48 ERA in 69 career innings with 87 strikeouts and three saves.
"This offseason, I did have a little hiccup in the rehab process," Antone said Tuesday. "My flexor kind of gave out on me. Just a small, little strain. Nothing crazy or anything, but obviously wasn't prepared for the buildup coming back into spring training. A small, little injury. I did, in fact, get a stem cell PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection today to speed everything back up."
Antone underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career in August 2021. The success rate for pitchers returning from a second Tommy John surgery is lower than pitchers who undergo the procedure the first time because it involves more scar tissue and a hole was already drilled into the bone.
Rehabbing at the spring training facility in Arizona, Antone said everything went smoothly last year and he was throwing 93-95 mph during bullpen sessions. The timeline to recover from a second Tommy John surgery is usually around 15 months, so Antone was hopeful to be ready for the start of spring training.
Antone made the video announcing his injury, he said, to be upfront about his rehab process.
"Everyone was looking forward to me coming back, being with the squad Opening Day and to get back out there," Antone said. "I really hope this injection just kickstarts the healing process. I have full trust in the Reds' (physical therapy) staff and the decisions that they make in getting me ready to get back on the field. Everyone is on the same game plan and we're ready to rock. Let's go Reds and I'll be there for the playoff push in the second half."
Reds pitchers and catchers are set to report to spring training next Tuesday with their first workout scheduled for Feb. 15.
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