Jake Diekman hopes to be back in Rangers’ uniform in a month

Rangers reliever Jake Diekman was back in the clubhouse for the first time since having his third and final surgery to remove and rebuild his colon after suffering from ulcerative colitis for much of his life.

His body is still adjusting to the new colon but he’s feeling great, all things considered. Doctors told him he can start throwing as soon as he’s feels comfortable but that he should hold off before using full exertion. They want Diekman to wait six weeks from his June 9 surgery before he starts letting it rip. Diekman has July 19-20 circled on his calendar.

“I’m going to start throwing next homestand and that will be Week 3,” he said. “That will give me three weeks of throwing.”

He said he thinks by the end of those three weeks he’ll be close to full strength, but time will tell.

“I’ve thrown off and on in between every surgery. I have a date in my head but I’m not going to say it out loud,” he said.

Diekman said the first few days after his final surgery were rough. It included a lot of throwing up and multiple catheters. The Rangers hit a home run during one catheter procedure. Diekman celebrated the homer on Twitter.

“I’ll get one every day if we win the game,” he said of the procedure. “They don’t hurt that bad.”

This story was originally published June 21, 2017 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Jake Diekman hopes to be back in Rangers’ uniform in a month."