Andrew McCutchen completed what looks like the final step in his rehab as he successfully participated in live batting practice without any setbacks on Monday afternoon at PNC Park.
“I feel good, good to go,” said McCutchen. “It was basically a reassurance there going out and facing live pitching and getting my swing ready for the games. I felt pretty good out there. I made some good contact on some balls and even with some swing and misses. I pretty much did everything. I swung and missed, check-swung, fouled balls off and none of that bothered me, so I’m good to go.”
McCutchen tore cartilage off of his 11th rib while taking a swing in Arizona on August 4th. The pain was so bad at the time that McCutchen was unable to bend over and take his shoes off. His condition improved, however, daily keeping management from putting him on the disabled list until the last possible moment.
“I felt like I needed to give it some time to see where I would be,” said McCutchen. “I know my body well enough that I can heal and I can come back. That’s why I didn’t go on it right away. I wanted to give it some time to see what would happen and I kept progressing every single day. That’s why it took them so long to make a decision whether I should go on the DL or not. I had those extra eight days on the DL to spare me eight days to where I could just really heal mentally and physically, as well.”
McCutchen believes he is pain free, but because of a high pain tolerance, he was told to take things easy during his DL stint to prevent any further damage from occurring. With his injury, he may feel some soreness for a while, but it shouldn’t effect him.
“Honestly, I don’t know because I feel good and I’m not too sure. I have a really high pain tolerance, so I could be in a little bit of pain and not even know it. Right now, I feel great. I don’t feel any pain and I don’t feel pain swinging. Probably to a normal person, they might have some pain. It’s not hindering me from doing anything.”
Once McCutchen is back, he will wear an EvoShield compression shirt with extra padding around his ribcage for extra support and protection. He will wear it for the remainder of the season to help support the area that is injured and help protect the area in case something else were to happen.
“I’m wearing the protective compression shirt so I can just go out and not worry about it,” said McCutchen. “Just be able to go hit. I probably have to wear it the whole season. I’m still probably going to be sore every now and then and the last thing I want is to get hit in the same spot or something like that. Little things you can’t control. You can’t control getting hit, so you want to have something to be prepared for that if something were to happen. What I have on will do the job for me.”
We will see if McCutchen makes the starting lineup for Tuesday’s 7:05 matchup against the Braves.
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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
