Tag: back surgery

Red Sox minor-league reliever Michael Gettys to undergo back surgery

Red Sox minor-league reliever Michael Gettys took to Instagram on Thursday to announce that he is going to have surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back.

“If you know me, for the past six years I’ve made comments or complained about my lower back always being tight (jokingly sometimes),” Gettys wrote. “Since the middle of 2016 I have been playing and living with a herniated disc in my lower back. Only few people know how bad it really bothered me. I’ve had extreme muscle spasms, referred pain into my hip and groin, and extreme nerve pain radiating from my low back down my leg (sciatica). I haven’t been able to tie my shoes properly, bend over or sit for long periods of time without nerve pain. I’ve pushed and pushed. Now is the time to get it fixed as it has affected my quality of life and career.

“Only a handful of times in the past few years have I really felt like myself physically,” he continued. “I will be getting surgery to remove the herniation that is constantly on my nerve. I am at peace with it because I know I will be pain-free in my daily life and my playing career. I’ve always been a man of faith, I give God control of it all. I have always been resilient and I’ve never quit anything. I plan to come back better than ever in my personal life and playing career!”

Gettys first joined the Red Sox organization as a minor-league free agent in November 2020. At that point in time, the 27-year-old was an outfielder and former second-round draft selection of the Padres in 2014 who spent the first six years of his professional career in San Diego’s farm system.

A right-handed hitter, Gettys opened the 2021 minor-league season with Triple-A Worcester and saw playing time at all three outfield positions for the WooSox before being placed on the development in early August. Later that same month, Gettys had successfully been converted into a pitcher and was working as a reliever with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox down in Fort Myers.

Boston first re-signed Gettys to a minor-league deal that November. Between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland last season, the righty pitched to a 2.23 ERA and 4.21 FIP with 31 strikeouts to 15 walks over 40 relief appearances spanning 48 1/3 innings of work. As a member of the Sea Dogs bullpen, he forged an ERA of 0.48 (4.00 FIP) with eight strikeouts to eight walks across 18 outings and 18 2/3 innings.

Gettys was expected to return to Portland for the start of the 2023 campaign after re-signing with the Red Sox last November, but he was placed on the 7-day injured list earlier this month because of back issues. Those back issues have now progressed to the point where the 6-foot-1, 217-pound hurler will go under the knife in hopes of getting them resolved.

With that, it seems unlikely that Gettys — who turns 28 in October — will be able to pitch this season, though his timetable has not yet been determined. Taking that into consideration, it is worth mentioning that the Georgia native can once again become eligible for minor-league free agency at the end of the year.

(Picture of Michael Gettys: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox closer Tanner Houck undergoes successful back surgery

Red Sox closer Tanner Houck underwent successful back surgery in Boston on Tuesday, the club announced. The right-hander had a lumbar discectomy performed by Dr. Christopher Bono at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Houck will miss the remainder of the 2022 season but is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in 2023. According to Hopkins Medicine, a lumbar discectomy is a minimally invasive type of surgery to fix a disc in the lower back.

Manager Alex Cora had revealed over the weekend that Houck would be undergoing season-ending surgery. The 26-year-old hurler was originally placed on the 15-day injured list because of lower back inflammation on August 6. He initially responded well to treatment and was making progress towards a return last week before continued back soreness forced the Red Sox to shut him down again.

It then became apparent that surgery, as opposed to rest, was the best course of action for both sides to take.

“Obviously we pushed it to pitch. But the strength is not back,” Cora told reporters on Saturday. “He was almost there. But it didn’t work out. So everybody decided this is the best course of action and he should be OK.”

All told, Houck posted a 3.15 ERA and 3.31 FIP with 56 strikeouts to 22 walks over 32 appearances (four starts) spanning 60 innings of work this season. The righty made all four of those starts in April before moving to the bullpen on a full-time basis on May 15.

From there, Houck ultimately assumed the role of Boston’s closer and pitched to a 1.49 ERA (3.18 FIP) to go along with 33 strikeouts and 11 walks across 25 relief outings (36 1/3 innings). He also converted eight of nine save opportunities.

Given his experience as a starter and reliever, the Red Sox will sit down with Houck at some point this off-season to determine how they can best utilize the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder moving forward.

“Tanner, he’s done it as a starter and a reliever,” said Cora. “He made some strides. I think he learned a lot about himself. He actually willed himself for a while there to be available, which is very important.”

The Red Sox transferred Houck to the 60-day injured list on Sunday, so he does not currently count against the club’s 40-man roster. That being said, the former first-rounder remains under team control through the end of the 2027 season.

(Picture of Tanner Houck: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox closer Tanner Houck to undergo back surgery

Red Sox closer Tanner Houck will undergo back surgery on Tuesday, manager Alex Cora announced ahead of Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Rangers at Fenway Park.

Houck, who last pitched on August 2, will miss the remainder of the 2022 season. But he is expected to make a full recovery and subsequently be ready for spring training in February.

Boston originally placed Houck on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation on Aug. 6. The 26-year-old right-hander was later diagnosed with a disc issue in his lower back after being examined by a spine specialist in the city.

While the Red Sox elected to briefly shut down Houck, they were hopeful he would respond positively to treatment. That appeared to be the case when he resumed playing catch last week and was scheduled to throw live batting practice in Worcester on Tuesday. But that did not happen as scheduled, as Houck was completely shut down from baseball activities due to continued back soreness.

“It’s disc related,” Cora said (via MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) of Houck’s impending surgery. “He should be fine for spring training. Obviously we pushed it to pitch. But the strength is not back. He was almost there. But it didn’t work out. So everybody decided this is the best course of action and he should be OK.”

With his year now over, Houck has finished his third year in the big-leagues having posted a 3.15 ERA and 3.31 FIP with 56 strikeouts to 22 walks over 32 appearances (four starts) spanning 60 innings of work. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound hurler made all four of those starts in April before moving to the bullpen on a full-time basis on May 15.

From there, Houck ultimately assumed the role of Boston’s closer while pitching to a 1.49 ERA (3.18 FIP) to go along with 33 strikeouts and 11 walks across 25 relief outings (36 1/3 innings). He also converted eight of nine save opportunities.

“I thought he was solid,” Cora said. “Obviously as a starter, he did his thing. Then, we moved him to the bullpen and I think he was really good in the bullpen. The stuff is really good.”

Cora added that during the off-season, the Red Sox will sit down and talk about how to best utilize Houck and fellow righty Garrett Whitlock. The pair now have experience starting and closing out games at the major-league level, which is a valuable asset.

“We know they can do both,” said Cora. “Obviously that’s a bigger conversation to where we’re going to go and what we’re going to try to do in the off-season. But they can impact the game on either side — the first five innings or the last four innings. They’re that good. And Tanner, he’s done it as a starter and a reliever. He made some strides. I think he learned a lot about himself. He actually willed himself for a while there to be available, which is very important.”

Houck, who does not turn 27 until next June and is under club control through 2027, will likely be placed on the 60-day injured list. That would allow the Red Sox to create an opening on their 40-man roster for the impending promotion of Triston Casas.

(Picture of Tanner Houck: Maddie Mayer/Getty Images)