Red Sox RP Ryan Brasier cleared to play catch after concussion

On most days, Ryan Brasier playing catch would hardly be cause for celebration, let alone news.

But not Saturday.

Not after he broke his pinky last winter, not after he strained his left calf in spring training, not after he took a line drive off the head three weeks ago and, even more painful than that, lost his father in February.

On Saturday, the longtime Red Sox reliever could finally smile. Because like the rest of the country, his life is slowly getting back to normal.

Speaking with reporters for the first time this season, Braiser announced team doctors cleared him to play catch. He’s overcome most of the concussion symptoms inflicted by the liner that struck his right ear during a simulated game at Fort Myers and sent him to the hospital. Braiser said he’s still dealing with “ear trouble,” which is a long way from the first days of recovery when a ringing headache bound him to dark rooms for almost a full week.

Brasier didn’t offer a timeline for when he might return to the mound.

“I still have to do some tests and see some doctors. … Just trying to get over the hump, and listening to what all the trainers and all the doctors and stuff say,” he said.

Before the line drive, Braiser listened to family and friends to overcome the loss of his father, one of the three people he used to speak with daily. They connected over life and baseball, his father a former minor-league pitcher. After every game, Brasier’s phone buzzed with word from home.

“Every game, every time I pitched, (I had) a text message regardless of good or bad: I’m awake. Call me,” Braiser said. “Minor leagues, big leagues, it doesn’t matter.”

He continued: “It’s tough, but my family’s been awesome, especially with getting hurt multiple times and trying get through this first part of the season and getting back to where I want to be and hopefully pitching in October.”

More recently, Brasier heard from Sox ace Chris Sale, who glowed over text about his own return to Boston. Saddled with his own hardship, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Sale finally pitched to live hitters on Saturday. But he didn’t want to talk fastballs and changeups with Brasier.

It was the energy of the park, the clubhouse and even touching down at the airport, Sale shared, that reinvigorated him. Now Brasier feels it, too.

“I’m glad to finally be up here and around everybody,” he said, “and hopefully get in a good routine to get back.”

Brasier joked he watched more baseball at home over the past three weeks than he did the past three years in Boston. Lucky for him, the Sox held up their end of the bargain.

“It’s awesome. We’re swinging the bats, we’re pitching good, haven’t really missed a game.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3jlc8Mi