Vladimir Gutierrez, Reds pitcher, recovering from Tommy John surgery

On Mar 18, 2023

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – As Cincinnati Reds infielders worked through drills on one of their side fields at their spring training complex Tuesday, there was one pitcher playing catch with a trainer near the outfield warning track.

The pitcher was smiling during the game of catch, which took him up to 105 feet away from his throwing partner. He mimicked a pitching delivery on many of his throws.

That was part of Vladimir Gutierrez’s throwing progression as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He underwent surgery on July 20, 2022, and the typical rehab is a 12- to 15-month recovery. A best-case scenario would make him available to return around August, but there is a chance he may not throw a pitch this season.

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“I don’t have an exact timeline of when I’ll be able to come back,” Gutierrez said, according to team interpreter Jorge Merlos. “The rehab process, everything looks good. Even the (trainers) have been telling me, ‘You look really good and your arm looks really good. Nothing looks like it’s bothering you right now.’ Of course, I want to come back this season, but I don’t have any say in that. The arm is telling me that it’s good right now.”

Before Gutierrez hit a wall in his rookie year, a consequence of a canceled minor league season in 2020, he had a 9-4 record and a 3.68 ERA in his first 16 starts with 73 strikeouts and 35 walks in 93 innings.

He doesn’t possess the same upside as some of the other members in the Reds’ rotation. He doesn’t throw 100 mph like Hunter Greene or Graham Ashcraft, and he doesn’t have the unique movement on his pitches like Nick Lodolo, but he’s a solid back of the rotation option when he’s at his best.

What stands out about Gutierrez is he’s fearless on the mound. It always feels like he’s on the attack. His fastball was probably too hittable during his 150 innings in the majors, but his slider and changeup are above-average pitches. The Reds kept him on their 40-man roster throughout the winter because of his potential.

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“It was obviously so difficult when I found out I needed Tommy John surgery,” Gutierrez said. “I was really sad. I broke down with my agent too, but he told me, ‘This is the best for you. This is the best for everyone else.’ I had to change my mind and think, OK, this is going to help me out in the long run. I have to go through this process. Now I have the mindset this is the best for me, best for my family and best for everyone else trying to get me where I need to be. Honestly, my arm feels great. I don’t have any pain anymore, so I feel like the process is working really well so far.”

Recovering from Tommy John surgery is a long road, measured by small progress. It’s all new for the 27-year-old Gutierrez, who never dealt with serious arm injuries. He had one nine-day stint on the injured list when he was in the minor leagues, but otherwise was healthy throughout his career.

“I don’t know 100% what it could have been,” Gutierrez said. “There are possibilities. There were a couple of tweaks that we were trying to do throughout the season that could’ve led to that. Maybe it was something I already had in my arm that I didn’t know I had beforehand, and it just flared up. I’m not sure what led to Tommy John.”

Gutierrez suffered the elbow injury during one of the worst seasons of his career. Gutierrez, who started last year in the Reds’ rotation, had an 0-6 record in his first seven starts with an 8.70 ERA. It took eight outings before he completed five innings in a start.

Moved to the bullpen at the end of May, Gutierrez made two relief appearances before his elbow injury ended his season.

Once he was cleared to begin limited throwing in the winter, he met with Hector Berrios, his personal pitching coach in Miami.

“We’ve still been in contact since surgery,” Gutierrez said. “Once I started throwing, I was able to go see him one day and work out with him. In regards to other stuff we’ve been working on, it’s been more mental stuff. How to prepare against batters and face other batters.”