Cincinnati Reds pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez will undergo Tommy John surgery, first reported by Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Gutierrez, who had been on the injured list with a strained UCL in his pitching elbow, had been working his way back from the injury and was throwing bullpen sessions as he prepared to begin a rehab assignment. In the most recent one this past week he further injured the UCL.
After a solid 2021 season as a rookie where he made 22 starts with the Reds and posted a 4.74 ERA (99 ERA+), the 2022 season never really got going in the right direction for Vladimir Gutierrez. He made eight starts and two relief appearances, going 1-6 with a 7.61 ERA, 46 hits allowed – including 8 home runs – and 24 walks with just 29 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched.
Cincinnati’s pitching staff has enough players on it to fill out an entire pitching staff. Gutierrez was transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier this week, but he’s one of 12 pitchers on the big league roster that is currently on the injured list. He’ll miss the rest of the season and at least part of the 2023 season, too. While some players do return from Tommy John surgery in 12 months, it takes longer for other players, so an exact time table for return is not known for the Cuban right-hander.
With Gutierrez out for the rest of the season this just adds to their depth issues on the mound. Lucas Sims is out for the year with a herniated disc in his back that requires surgery, Tejay Antone has missed the entire year after having Tommy John surgery near the end of last year, and Justin Wilson will miss the rest of the year after he had Tommy John surgery in early June. Tony Santillan, Daniel Duarte, and Connor Overton are still on the 60-day injured list with no timetable for return, either.
UGH!
See you in late 2023 or 2024, Vlad. Tough luck.
I had posited that a couple of days ago based on comments made by someone here shortly after he went on the IL. Don’t remember who said it, but that person nailed it from the outset. I’m thinking the Reds need more pitching for next year, along with everything else they need.
Way Way Way too pitchers coming up with arm injuries.Reds may need to take a look see into this.Not looking to blame anybody but something these guys are doing either too much of or not enough could be causing some of the problems.I don’t believe it is all just bad luck
Reds need to also look closely into their training regimen and training table as they are having way too many muscle pulls(particularly in
Owner body) and back issues
Agree. I think Doug meant to say that the Reds IL has enough players on it to fill an entire pitching staff. Their TJ surgery list would be a decent start. There is something about their training or their coaching that is destroying elbows.
Injuries are up all over baseball. Shorten spring training didn’t help or from looks of injuries didn’t help. Has nothing to do with reds staff
+500
Agreed, Kevin. We’re seeing a lot more injuries this season due to the fiasco that was the off-season.
Yet another pitcher whose workload has been carefully monitored and limited since at least the minor leagues. I’d really love to see ANY data supporting the theory that more pitches early in a pro career = greater risk of injury, because it seems to me that pitchers have never been more injury prone than they are right now.
Seems that way to me, too. But there’s also the greater emphasis on high velocity.
What a shame for Vlad. I felt like he was going to become a decent bullpen arm. Hopefully he comes back strong and can contribute 1/2 a year in 2023. Get better Vlad!
Maybe the high spin rate and high pitch count and low inning count philosophy needs re evaluated. Pitchers were pitching longer and deeper into games in the past. 200 innings is a rarity today and it used to be a benchmark, of a good reliable “innings eater” starting pitcher.