The evolution of a breakout season with Tanner Houck
The June 21 spot on this year's schedule has long been Triston Casas’ focus. It’s the date the first baseman would be eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list. But with that day now sitting just three weeks away, and the torn cartilage in his left rib cage area still causing some discomfort, Casas admits he can’t get his hopes up too high.
“It’s sensitive to the touch and I feel it in very minimal movements, but mostly crunch-based exercises. Rotations have mild wear on it. It’s nothing crazy right now because we’re keeping it light. It’s still sensitive to the touch, which isn’t ideal. For any type of injury we want that to go away before anything else. That’s where we’re at right now,” Casas told WEEI.com.
“From my initial review of it there was no timetable. Three to nine weeks was the doctor’s estimate. But he had never seen something like this on a rotational athlete, either, so it’s touch to gauge what that recovery looks like for an injury that he has never seen before. He says it typically happens with football players and impact players like hockey and with regular civilians when he has seen people get injured in car crashes or automobile accidents. It’s tough to gauge right now and it’s really just a day-by-day feel-as-we-go kind of basis.”
He adds, “It’s impossible because all the symptoms could go away tomorrow from my understanding. It’s just a matter of feeling it out and making sure I’m healthy and getting back tot he level I know I can play at within a reasonable amount of time. I want to get back to playing.”
There has been some progress.
Casas sprints. He takes ground balls. He throws. He does pretty much except swinging a baseball bat. But, obviously, that’s the step that will truly signal a light at the end of this tunnel.
“Just trying to be 100 percent sure I don’t have any pain before I start swinging again, which is what we’re waiting for,” he explained. “In the meantime, I’m just trying to strengthen the area around it while the initial injury is still recovering. That’s the battle. The medicine for this is rest. It’s no movement. So it’s tough because I’m still trying to stay strong but the more than I move the longer it’s going to take to heal. That’s the most difficult type of injury or recovery. I’m wanting to do an activity. I want to stay active and continue my progress to getting back on the field, but I know the more I do it doesn’t always translate to more.”
So, how is he passing the time?
We know of the long stints visualizing in the batter’s box, along with various appearances on the field during pregame warmups. But now Casas has found his next weapon to combat the potential rustiness - the Trajekt pitching machine.
What Trajekt offers is a video of any pitcher in the major leagues, along with settings that will simulate that hurler’s offerings. It’s a perfect fit for Casas, even without the ability to swing (although he does hope to be bunting soon).
“I’m still on the clock. I’m still getting paid. I just spend my whole day at the park,” he explained. “I’m here at the park. I’m here pretty much, whether I stay for the game, here from nine to nine or 10 to nine. They set up the Tract and I’m in there tracking balls all day. I have been taking mental ABs off that. I faced Flaherty for about an hour this morning. I was facing their whole staff while everyone was gone. I feel like my timing is staying there. My eyes are staying sharp. It’s going make my transition back to the field quicker, hopefully.”