Houston Astros pitcher Jake Odorizzi suffered what looked like a serious, long-term injury on Monday night, and had to be stretchered off the field.
He was afraid he tore his Achilles tendon, an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the season and would mean a lengthy recovery process.
Thankfully for everybody involved, Odorizzi underwent an MRI that revealed only some strains and sprains of other ligaments around the ankle.
He dodged a bullet, but that doesn’t mean he is ready to take the ball in his next start.
“Jake Odorizzi on his current pain level: ‘It doesn’t feel comfortable, but when does anything in the first place?” he said, as shared by reporter Chandler Rome.
Jake Odorizzi on his current pain level: "It doesn’t feel comfortable, but when does anything in the first place?”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 18, 2022
It’s a quote with a deep meaning: perhaps he is referring to life itself, but most likely, he is talking about the bumps and bruises a pitcher has to deal with every single season.
It’s Uncommon For A Pitcher To Be 100 Percent Healthy
Pitchers, and athletes in general, are rarely 100 percent.
Professional sports are extremely demanding, and it often requires athletes to play through some pain.
In the specific case of Odorizzi, he will probably have to rest for a while before being ready to return.
He says he heard a big pop while on the mound on Tuesday.
According to Rome, “one of the tendons that we pissed off runs parallel to the Achilles,” Odorizzi said.
“That’s what they think the big pop was from.”
"One of the tendons that we pissed off runs parallel to the Achilles," Jake Odorizzi said. "That's what they think the big pop was from."
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 18, 2022
It doesn’t sound like a nice sensation for any person to feel, but these things happen.
Hopefully we can see Odorizzi back on a major league mound soon, taking things right where he left them.
With a 3.13 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, he was pitching very well as of late.
NEXT: Astros Insider Shares Jake Odorizzi Injury Update