As much as he wanted to, Brennan Boesch would not have been able to play in the World Series had the Detroit Tigers made it there. Alas, that’s now a moot point.
After meeting with doctors at the Cleveland Clinic last week, and confirming that his season would remain over, Boesch began a rehabilitation program with Tigers trainer Kevin Rand. The program involves range-of-motion exercises initially, which is important for a player who hasn’t swung a bat since the thumb surgery was performed on Sept. 6.
Getting back in the lineup during the World Series was a personal goal for Boesch, who’s recovering from surgery on a torn ligament in his right thumb. But doctors told him that rushing back could tear the repaired ligament again.
However, Boesch insists he’ll be ready to go by January, which gives him plenty of time to prepare for the beginning of spring training.
“I’ll be healthy by the then,” said Boesch, who confirmed he will not play winter ball this offseason. “It’s just time that needs to take place. It’s no set thing that you do to recover from this injury other than just motion exercises.”
Surely, the Tigers would’ve preferred Boesch play some winter ball to get in playing shape and regain his timing at the plate. But he’s not rehabbing away from the team while he rehabs, so baseball activities will likely be incorporated into his program once he’s able to swing a bat.
Barring any setbacks, that should allow everyone involved to set up a timetable to prepare Boesch for the spring. From there, Grapefruit League play should get him ready for the regular season.