Cubs: Reliever Codi Heuer has a long road ahead to recovery

Right-hander Codi Heuer had Tommy John surgery this past offseason, ruling him out for the 2022 season. Per Sun-Times Cubs beat reporter Maddie Lee, he had complete UCL reconstruction and an internal brace put in. This will result in him needing a 15-16 month recovery time, so we will not see Heuer until mid-season 2023 at the earliest.

Tommy John is not the death sentence it once was, in fact, a lot of pitchers these days come back stronger. That said it will be a long road to recovery for the 25-year-old righty. Prior to his surgery, Heuer was seen by many as a closer candidate for the Cubs. Now we wait.

Cubs will wait and see what they get in Codi Heuer post-Tommy John surgery

Heuer was part of the Craig Kimbrel trade with the crosstown White Sox last season. He and Nick Madrigal were seen as young cogs in the next era of baseball on the North Side. Heuer showed a lot of promise with the Sox in 2020, pitching to a 1.52 ERA, 0.887 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings, before struggling in the first half of 2021. He pitched to a 3.14 ERA and 4.36 FIP with the Cubs last year after coming over in 28 2/3 frames.

Even while pitching to a respectable ERA with the Cubs in 2021, he did not miss a lot of bats (5.3 K/9) as his velocity dropped a few ticks. In 2020 he was averaging 97.6 MPH with a 9.5 K/9. It is worth noting the surgery was due to an injury he suffered during an independent workout per NBC Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer.

Heuer is under team control through 2025. If all goes well he will become a solid piece for the Cubs bullpen in the second half of next season. The Cubs have a nice collection of potential arms in the organization and Heuer can still be considered one of them despite the long road of recovery ahead.

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Best wishes to Heuer as he works on his recovery. One can imagine how tough it can be in that situation, but no doubt he will work hard to get back.