Chicago Cubs: Comeback bid ends as Luke Hagerty needs elbow surgery

One of the game’s biggest feel-good stories has, at least for now, come to an end with Chicago Cubs left-hander Luke Hagerty needing another elbow surgery.

At age 37, any bid to break a professional baseball club’s roster is a long-shot. But that didn’t stop Chicago Cubs left-hander Luke Hagerty from not only attempting to do so but turning heads on the mound this spring.

Attempting to come back to the game he loves after a decade away, Hagerty’s attempt to reach the big leagues has once again hit a wall in the form of elbow surgery. Per Evan Altman at Cubs Insider, 2002 first round draft pick, Luke Hagerty, will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery in April.

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The southpaw made headlines early in the spring with his work at his own X2 Athletic Performance – as well as hitting 98 MPH on the gun at Driveline Pro Day back in January.

The journey of the former Cubs’ farmhand has been well-documented, and my first thought upon hearing the news was: this is really depressing. Here’s a guy who, while he didn’t have much of a shot to make the Major League roster on Opening Day, was turning heads and getting people whispering about a potential mid-to-late season call up. Heck, Hollywood was probably busy writing scripts for the next blockbuster baseball movie – this one based on Hagerty’s real-life return to prominence.

While this comeback story may have hit a big-time snag, it is still possible the ending has yet to be written. Turning 38 years old on April 1, Hagerty isn’t exactly a spring chicken. However, the final act for the big southpaw could still be written after spending this year rehabbing his elbow. It’s just going to be a really long and hard road to recovery.

As someone who personally knows what it’s like to have major reconstructive arm surgery from a baseball injury (labrum and rotator cuff, so not UCL/Tommy John), I know the time and work you need to dedicate to rehab in order to get back to where you were. (And, in all fairness, I never threw anywhere close to 98, something that puts a ton of stress on your arm).

I also know that having surgery at 23 is different than at 37. Your body is different, you don’t bounce back the same and it’s harder to do everything as you get older. I’m not saying that it’s impossible for Hagerty to come back, just that it’s going to be an arduous climb.

The good news is, this guy knows a thing or two about comebacks and overcoming obstacles. If anyone can come back from another surgery (he already had Tommy John surgery in 2003) at an advanced age, it’s Hagerty. He also is on record as not wanting to “waste anyone’s time” in his comeback effort, so we also know if he is serious about doing this again, it won’t just be a publicity stunt.

Here’s hoping the big 6’7″ lefty has a successful surgery and we are talking about this all over again next winter. Hollywood is hoping, and so are Chicago Cubs fans everywhere.

One of the game’s biggest feel-good stories has, at least for now, come to an end with Chicago Cubs left-hander Luke Hagerty needing another elbow surgery.

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