St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks opted out of the 2020 MLB season, and we’re learning that there was another factor in his decision.
On Monday, the Cardinals officially made the announcement, citing Hicks’ preexisting medical condition (he is a Type 1 diabetic). But Cardinals manager Mike Shildt revealed on Tuesday that Hicks also had a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Manager Mike Shildt revealed that Jordan Hicks had a setback in Tommy John rehab, dealing with inflammation, and wouldn't have been available to pitch until September any way, which cemented his decision to opt out.
— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) July 15, 2020
Hicks dealt with inflammation and wouldn’t have been able to pitch until September anyway, so the combination of factors led to his decision.
Hicks underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2019 to repair his torn UCL. The 23-year-old has a 3.47 ERA and 20 saves in two MLB seasons. He is known as a flamethrower and has been clocked at 104 MPH on the radar gun.
