This young season has already left us some stories about unforgettable comebacks. The return of Daniel Bard is worthy of a movie script. Not to mention that of the Venezuelan Carlos Carrasco. But there are many other notable comebacks from players who are changing the course of their careers and reminding us that we should never underestimate the power of people who are determined to pay any price in terms of hard work and commitment.
So here are seven of the best comeback stories of 2020:
1) Daniel Bard, RHP, Rockies
That he’s back on a major league mound is one of the most fantastic narratives of this or any other season. Retired at 28 because he had basically lost the ability to throw strikes, Bard is back seven years later at 35, a win by any measure.
2) Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Indians
The best kind of comeback. He returned to make 11 relief appearances last September after undergoing leukemia treatment in June. In itself, that was an extraordinary achievement. This season, Carrasco is again the same pitcher who averaged 29 starts per season between 2015 and 2018, throwing six innings in each of his three starts and allowing a total of five runs with six walks and 23 strikeouts on 18 innings.
3) Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, Padres
Can a 21 year old qualify as the story of a comeback? Let’s say yes.
The Dominican was one of the most impactful and productive players last season and is doing so again in 2020. He missed 78 games in 2019 during two stints on the disabled list, including a broken back that ended him. to his season on August 13. It is a very important part of understanding why the Padres feel so optimistic about their team.
4) Salvador Pérez, C, Royals
The Venezuelan, six times called up to the All-Star Game, could well be the favorite of any rival player. Umpires, coaches and managers feel the same way, and the role Pérez played in bringing the Royals to the World Series two years in a row (2014 and 2015) served to earn him a place for life in the hearts of Los Angeles fans. Real. He is fully recovered from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him in 2019 and doing his part to help the Royals complete their next rebuilding process, hitting .313 with three home runs so far.
5) JaCoby Jones, CF, Tigers
The 2019 season came to an end for Jones on August 8, when the outfielder broke his left wrist. That was the last of three trips to the disabled list that let him play just 88 games. He has had a tremendous start in 2020 (1,139 OPS) and is located in the 87th percentile in percentage of hard hits and in the 92nd percentile in hits connected to the pot of the bat for each visit to the plate.
6) Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays
Last season he was the first seed for the AL Rookie of the Year award until he fractured his right shin with a foul on July 2. His .514 slugging was the second-best in AL history for a rookie midfielder with at least 300 plate appearances, behind only Nomar Garciaparra (.534 in 1997). This season, he has a .939 OPS and is tied for the MLB 3-point lead (two).
7) Kyle Freeland, LZ, Rockies
Freeland reminds us that the good guys evolve. After finishing fourth in the National League Cy Young voting in 2018 thanks to 33 starts and a 2.85 ERA, he had a tough 2019 (6.73 in 22 starts). He says he’s much more comfortable catching the ball in 2020, but he’s also dramatically changed his pitching selection. He’s throwing his fastball only 32% of the time, well down from 52% in 2019. Plus, he’s tripled the number of changes and sliders. Rivals hit him .208 before the trade, with a single extra base. (GG)(Taken MLB.COM)