Big Injury Blow For Cubs Prized Young Pitcher

There's another unfortunate side to the MLB lockout that isn't usually discussed. But the Chicago Cubs are feeling the impact of the fact that major league players have been forced to work out on their own, with no supervision from team personnel. This has resulted in prized young Cubs reliever Codi Heuer suffering an elbow injury that's led to Tommy John surgery.

The Cubs were probably as surprised as anyone when Heuer posted on his Instagram a shot of him in the hospital, with a brace on his right arm, recovering from surgery. 

The 25-year-old right-hander was acquired along with 2B Nick Madrigal from the crosstown Chicago White Sox last July as part of the Craig Kimbrel trade. 

Heuer doesn't mention the nature of the surgery in his post, but Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports a source close to the pitcher confirmed it was Tommy John. 

Because he was not allowed to be under team supervision or use team facilities while the owners and the union fight it out over the CBA, his injury not only happened during an independent work out, but the decision to undergo the TJ surgery was also made by an independent medical team. 

Heuer burst onto the scene with the White Sox in 2020, posting a 1.52 ERA out of the bullpen, allowing only 12 hits in 23.2 innings. Once he came over to the Cubs in the Kimbrel trade, he tossed 28.2 innings with an ERA of 3.14.

This is an unfortunate example of collateral damage from the lockout that could so easy have been avoided.

Photo Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports