The Comeback Player of the Year Award is one of my favorites. It’s given annually to a player in each league “who has re-emerged on the field during the season.” Last year, a pair of future Hall of Famers, Justin Verlander and Albert Pujols, were recognized. This year, there are many high-profile candidates, including young superstars such as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ronald Acuña Jr., and former stars such as Anthony Rendon and Chris Sale. There are also under-the-radar types who could make a convincing push.
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Every year a player will come back from an injury or health problem, a personal issue or a terrible season. Those types of revivals can completely change a player’s career and a team’s chance to win. Who will it be this year?
Everyone loves a comeback story, and here are 10 players whose stories I’ll be tracking this season.
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., OF, Padres
Tatis is my early favorite to win a Comeback Player of the Year Award because of everything he’s trying to overcome, including three surgeries and an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. He fractured his wrist in a motorcycle accident during the 2021 offseason; tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance, last August; and underwent two wrist surgeries and a shoulder surgery in the past year. He is expected to make his season debut on April 20 after completing his suspension. With the Padres signing shortstop Xander Bogaerts in the offseason, Tatis has moved to the outfield this spring and is expected to be San Diego’s long-term answer in right field.
Tatis, 24, has been contrite since being suspended and his teammates have welcomed him back. Now, after missing all of last season, he will try to be the player he was in 2021, when he led the National League with 42 home runs, stole 25 bases, posted a 166 OPS+ and finished third in the MVP voting. It was a good sign that he stole a base in his first exhibition game this spring.
What the front office says: “Fernando has worked hard this offseason. He has put in the time and is looking forward to getting back on the field with his teammates,” Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said in a text message earlier this week.
2. Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves
It’s been four years since Acuña’s breakout 2019 season, when he hit 41 homers, drove in 101 runs and led the NL with 37 stolen bases. Acuña, 25, hasn’t played more than 119 games in a season since. He underwent ACL surgery in July 2021 and started last season on the injured list as he continued to rehab his right knee. Once he was activated, he held his own but hit just .266 with 15 home runs and 29 stolen bases (and was caught stealing a league-leading 11 times). Acuña looked like he was operating at about 85 percent last season, but this spring, for the first time since the surgery, he’s moving the way he did in 2019. I think he’ll get back to playing at his accustomed level. In fact, he’s my early pick for NL MVP.
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What the front office says: Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said the team is “optimistic” Acuña will play like he did in 2021, before the injury. “Ronald is back to ‘100 percent’ this spring and should be as explosive as ever,” Anthopoulos said when I asked how Acuña has looked in spring training.
3. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Angels
Anthony Rendon (Rick Scuteri / USA Today)
Anthony Rendon authored his career-best season in 2019 when he led the NL with 44 doubles and 126 RBIs, slashed .319/.412/.598, hit 34 home runs and helped lead the Nationals to a world championship. He signed a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Angels that offseason, and has been one of the game’s biggest free-agent busts ever since because of underperformance and injuries; season-ending hip and wrist surgeries in 2021 and 2022, respectively, limited him to 105 games over the past two seasons. But if Rendon, 32, stays healthy, he can put up big numbers in a lineup that includes Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. The Angels added third-base depth in the offseason, signing Brandon Drury and trading for Gio Urshela. They made those moves so they can rest Rendon when needed and try to keep him healthy throughout the season. Rendon won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2016, and Angels manager Phil Nevin told me during the Winter Meetings that he thinks Rendon, whom he plans to bat in the cleanup hole, can do it again. If he does, it would go a long way toward helping the Angels return to the postseason for the first time since 2014.
What the front office says: Angels general manager Perry Minasian didn’t mince his words when I talked with him. “When healthy, Anthony Rendon is one of the best players in the game. There is nothing on a baseball field he can’t do. He is my pick for Comeback Player of the Year,” Minasian said.
4. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Cardinals
When I visited Cardinals camp in Jupiter, Fla., this week, Flaherty told me he was feeling great physically but also was sore all over, which he said is good because it’s the result of working hard to get back into shape. He threw two innings on a back field Tuesday and said everything went well. Flaherty, 27, could be the difference this year for the Cardinals in terms of winning their division and going far in the playoffs. When healthy, he’s their best starting pitcher, but he’s made only 23 starts over the past two seasons because of right shoulder injuries and an oblique injury. In 2019, he pitched at an ace level, posting a 2.75 ERA in 33 starts, striking out 231 in 196 1/3 innings, and leading the league with a 0.968 WHIP. Can he stay off the injured list and start to resemble that pitcher again?
What the front office says: I talked with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak outside of the Cardinals clubhouse and asked about Flaherty. Although optimistic, Mozeliak was cautious in his comments and reminded me that the right-hander threw only 36 innings last year. Keep your fingers crossed, St. Louis fans. If Flaherty becomes the NL Comeback Player of the Year, the Cardinals could have multiple champagne celebrations in October.
5. Cody Bellinger, CF, Cubs
Cody Bellinger’s decline since 2019 is well-documented. Three years ago, he slashed .305/.406/.629 with 34 doubles, 47 home runs, 115 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 20 attempts. He won NL MVP, a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger honors. He was a two-time All-Star at 23 and his future looked bright. However, the next three seasons turned into a nightmare as he hit .239 with 12 home runs in the shortened 2020 season, .165 with 10 home runs in 2021 and .210 with 19 home runs last year. Injuries were a big reason for the rapid decline, as he dealt with a dislocated right shoulder, a fractured left fibula, a broken rib and hamstring tightness. Significant mechanical changes, which stemmed in part from the effects of the injuries but also frequent tweaks at the plate made by Bellinger, played a role as well. He constantly altered his batting stance, hand position and preliminary positioning and actions. The Dodgers gave Bellinger a wake-up call in November when he was non-tendered and they didn’t make a strong attempt to re-sign him. Bellinger, 27, quickly found a new home with the Cubs, signing a one-year, $17.5 million deal with a mutual option for 2024. The Cubs want Bellinger to be more of an athlete in the batter’s box and spend less time on adjustments. They want him to go back to the mechanics he used in 2019 and stop focusing on everything else.
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What the front office says: After signing Bellinger in December, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said, “sometimes getting a guy out of a certain environment can really help,” and perhaps Bellinger will be the latest example of a player who benefits from a “change of scenery.” The Cubs bet on that. “He’s worked his tail off in the weight room and in the cage to do everything he can to be back to his old form,” Cubs GM Carter Hawkins told me. “Obviously, it’s early, but we’re encouraged by his progress and look forward to seeing him as he gets his timing (this spring).”
6. Michael Conforto, OF, Giants
Michael Conforto (Rick Scuteri / USA Today)
Michael Conforto was a consistent performer for the Mets from 2017 to 2019, a stretch in which he hit 27, 28 and 33 home runs. He posted a .322/.412/.515 slash line in the shortened 2020 season and then tallied a .344 on-base percentage with 20 doubles and 14 home runs in 125 games in 2021, his free-agent walk year. However, he lingered on the free-agent market because of his down season and a shoulder issue and then underwent surgery in April 2022, which forced him to miss the entire season. Conforto signed a two-year, $36 million deal with the Giants, but can opt out after the first year if he reaches 350 plate appearances. If he stays healthy and produces at his past levels, he’ll have a shot at comeback player honors.
What the front office says: Here is Giants GM Pete Putila’s assessment of Conforto, who turned 30 this week: “Michael has been working with Giants staff in Scottsdale (Ariz.) since signing in January and is in top physical shape, showing plus bat speed and throwing velocity. We’re excited to have him in the middle of our lineup.”
7. Trevor Rogers, LHP, Marlins
Trevor Rogers was one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in the NL in 2021, when he posted a 2.64 ERA and a 2.55 FIP in 25 starts. He struck out 157 in 133 innings, made the All-Star team and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. But he couldn’t replicate that success last year, as he recorded a 5.47 ERA and a 4.35 FIP in 23 starts (107 innings). His struggles had more to do with injuries than they did with a “sophomore jinx” or regression. Rogers, 25, dealt with back spasms and left lat discomfort, and his velocity and movement dropped considerably. However, his mechanics were pretty much the same, which is a good sign. Rogers looks healthy this spring. There is no reason to think he can’t be the same dominant lefty he was as a rookie just two years ago.
8. Chris Sale, LHP, Red Sox
Chris Sale is expected to make his first Grapefruit League start Monday. The Red Sox are hoping he goes two or three innings. Sale made just two starts in 2022 as he dealt with a stress fracture in his rib cage, a broken right wrist and a broken finger. But he says he’s now healthy and throwing the ball well. He will turn 34 at the end of the month, and he’s young and talented enough to be a Comeback Player of the Year candidate and also reinvigorate his career. The Red Sox at the very least must hope Sale has a strong first half of the season, so they can deal his $27.5 million annual salary if they’re not contending at the trade deadline. He’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2024 season. Sale is a seven-time All-Star who finished top six in the American League Cy Young Award voting in all of those All-Star seasons (2012-18). He didn’t pitch in 2020, pitched 42 2/3 innings over nine starts in 2021 and pitched just 5 2/3 innings last year. It would be an amazing comeback story if he can turn back the clock.
What the front office says: “It’s been great to see Chris back on the mound this spring,” Red Sox GM Brian O’Halloran told me this week. “His energy and competitiveness give the team a huge lift both on the field and in the clubhouse. Looking forward to seeing him in games next week.”
9. Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays
Brandon Lowe (Dave Nelson / USA Today)
Brandon Lowe turned in back-to-back top 10 MVP seasons in 2020 and 2021, finishing the latter year with a .247/.340/.523 slash line and career highs in doubles (31), home runs (39) and RBIs (99). But last year he was limited to 65 games, mostly because of lower back issues. He batted .221/.308/.383 with eight homers and 25 RBIs and was shut down in late September. It wasn’t all bad: The best part of Lowe’s offseason was the birth of his first child, Emmett. Lowe, 28, gave his back plenty of time to heal and didn’t pick up a bat until January. This spring, he looks healthy. He is a difference-maker. His season could end up determining whether the Rays make the playoffs in 2023.
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What the front office says: I exchanged text messages with Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander, who said Lowe looks great. “The last time we saw a healthy (Lowe), he hit 39 homers,” Neander said. “He doesn’t need to hit that number to have a huge impact in 2023, but he’s fully capable of carrying our club.”
10. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Royals
Aroldis Chapman will go down in history as one of the best closers of all time, but his Yankees career didn’t end well last year, as he was left off their playoff roster after missing a mandatory workout. His last save of the season was on May 17, and he even spent time on the injured list because of an infected leg tattoo. He lost command and control as well as 1 mph off his fastball. But this is a seven-time All-Star reliever with career marks of 315 saves, 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and a 2.48 ERA over 13 seasons (640 innings). Two years ago, he had 30 saves, a 3.36 ERA and 15.5 strikeouts per nine with the Yankees. The Royals viewed this as a rare opportunity, even with the off-the-field and health risks that come with Chapman, who turned 35 this week. If he has a bounce-back year and starts to dominate again, they’ll have a tremendous trade chip to use at the deadline to acquire more prospects for their rebuild.
What the front office says: Here’s what Royals GM J.J. Picollo told me: “Aroldis worked extremely hard this offseason to regain and repeat his delivery from a few years ago, and so far (this spring) he’s been outstanding. Fastball is 98 to 99 (mph) with finish and his slider has been good. He’s using both his changeup and split effectively and is gaining a lot of confidence.” Those are good early signs for Kansas City.
(Top image: John Bradford / The Athletic / Photos: Rob Tingali, Matt Thomas, Chris Coduto / Getty Images)