After having an amazing season in 2020, slashing .298/.368/.490 with a stellar 133 wRC+ for the New York Yankees, third baseman Gio Urshela has had a busy offseason when it comes to his health.
In November, the Yankees’ second sacker had a bout of COVID-19, but thankfully, his symptoms weren’t major and he only experienced them for a few days. And then, he had surgery to remove a bone chip in his elbow at New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Dec. 4.
Two weeks after the procedure, he says he is currently feeling well and doing his rehab in New York city. “I’m feeling way better,†Urshela told YES Network reporter Meredith Marakovits. He said that he is getting more comfortable and feeling better every day.
The Yankees said that Urshela would be ready to go at some point in spring training, but Urshela isn’t going to push things around and risk coming back too early.
The Yankees want him back before the end of spring training
When announcing the procedure, the Yankees’ press release said that Urshela’s recovery time would be three months.
“I’m going to be ready when I’m ready,†Urshela said. “I’m not going to push. I’m going to get ready 100%, then go out there and play.â€
He also talked about his battle with COVID-19. He got it early in the offseason while in Colombia.
“A friend got it first, then I took the test,†Urshela said. “The first time it was negative. And then two days later I started feeling a fever and cold and tired. Then I took a test again and tested positive. It was five days with all the symptoms, then I had to stay home for another 15-20 days to get that virus out.â€
The Yankees are hopeful that he can go back to where he left things off since the start of the 2021 season, after a weird offseason in the health department.