Kenta Maeda, a pitcher of the Major League Baseball Twins, practiced pitching with a bullpen for the first time since he had surgery on his right elbow last year, and has made progress toward his return.
34-year-old pitcher Maeda underwent "Tommy John surgery" to repair the ligament of his right elbow last September, and has been withdrawing for the first time since becoming a professional and continuing rehabilitation.
On the 22nd of this month, more than 9 months after the surgery, I practiced pitching with a bullpen for the first time after the surgery, and on the 24th, I attended the second practice of pitching with a bullpen at the Twins home stadium in Minnesota.
Pitcher Maeda appeared on the ground before the team's overall practice began, and first performed a unique preparatory exercise called "Maeken Gymnastics".
He then went into the bullpen after he played catch and threw 15 straights, 5 more than last time, waving his arms comfortably.
The catcher was sitting on the home base and catching the ball at a slightly shorter distance than usual, partly because he had just resumed pitching practice with a sloping bullpen.
According to Pitcher Maeda, the strength of pitching with a bullpen will be increased over the next few months.
After the practice, pitcher Maeda, who was interviewed by NHK, said, "I have no pain in my elbows and I am doing well. I feel like a strong catch ball, and when I am asked if I will get 90 miles, I will not get it, so only about 50%. I don't think I'm back. I have to regain the feeling of throwing form, so I want to make something better than before the surgery, "he said with an occasional smile.
The Twins are fighting for the lead in the central part of the American League, and pitcher Maeda said, "The team situation is good, so of course I want to throw it if I can make it in time for the playoffs. I don't want to do it. "