Alex Cora Knows Every Rehab From Tommy John Surgery Is Different

Recovery from any surgery is different for everyone, especially Tommy John.

Major League Baseball saw three big-name pitchers undergo the procedure in 2020 with Noah Syndergaard, Luis Severino and Chris Sale all in recovery.

The trio all are expected to return to their respective teams this season and are progressing nicely through their rehab. Sale has suffered some setbacks with COVID-19, a neck strain and a minor back issue, but still is expected to return to the Boston Red Sox this summer.

Still, Alex Cora knows anything can happen during a recovery, as shown by Sale’s speed bumps and the elbow soreness New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard suffered Tuesday.

“I think we got a reminder yesterday, right?,” Cora told reporters over Zoom on Wednesday. “In those situations with Tommy John that everybody’s different and every rehab is different. And we have to be careful with the way we treat this guy because he’s very important. … Syndergaard, Severino and Sale, they’re different guys, they’re different bodies. I think we’ve been doing a good job taking care of him. There’s a few things that happened throughout the offseason and throughout the process that slowed that down. But we’re very comfortable with where he’s at.”

Syndergaard lasted just one inning in his rehab start Tuesday for preventative reasons.

Cora noted the Red Sox would continue to be careful with Sale as he makes his way closer to a return.