Detroit Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull learned patience as he rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery. He regained mobility and range of motion without throwing, played catch at varying distances and, finally, returned to games earlier this year in spring training.
There were more than 650 days between pitches in the big leagues, from June 4, 2021, until April 1, 2023. He underwent elbow surgery to fix the ulnar collateral ligament in July 2021.
He hasn't always looked sharp in his four starts this season, but the ups and downs are part of the return-to-play process coming out of career-changing surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.