Willie Calhoun has jaw surgery as Texas Rangers are cautiously optimistic on prognosis
Willie Calhoun had surgery on his right jaw Monday after being struck by a 95 mph pitch during a spring training game.
Calhoun is at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, where he was taken immediately after being hit by Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias in the first inning Sunday at Surprise Stadium.
The club is cautiously optimistic that Calhoun won’t suffer from lingering concussion symptoms, but the full extent of his status won’t be known until Tuesday. Surgeons inserted a metal plate to stabilize the fracture, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. He also had a wire inserted to stabilize a loosened tooth from the blow. Calhoun will have limited physical activity for two weeks before being reevaluated.
“The concussion symptoms we’ll have to monitor [if and] as they come,” said Rangers manager Chris Woodward, who left the game to be with Calhoun at the hospital on Sunday, along with Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and other staff. “If Willie is OK concussion-wise, hopefully, he might not be out that long.”
Woodward’s wife, Erin, who is a trauma nurse, also was there. Woodward said Erin’s expertise in the medical trauma field was beneficial to allaying concerns from Calhoun’s parents and girlfriend at the hospital. Calhoun’s parents had just arrived in Arizona on Saturday and were seeing their first game when their son was hit by the fastball.
Daniels said Calhoun is expected to open the season in the injured list but doesn’t yet have a timetable. Calhoun was scanned to rule out an neck or brain injuries. He’ll be tested for concussion as soon as the sedation wears off.
“Thankfully the injury wasn’t any more significant than that,” Daniels said. “He’s resting comfortably. We expect him to be discharged this week. Could be as soon as tomorrow. If there is a concussion, hopefully it’s on the minor side. We’ll know more as soon as fully comes out of the surgery and he’s feeling like himself and he can go through the regular protocol.”
Calhoun was intubated at the hospital Sunday night, but he signaled to Woodward as if to reassure him.
“You could tell he was frustrated because he was mad about what happened,” he said. “He gave me the thumbs up like, ‘Don’t worry, I’m coming.’ Knowing Willie, he’s going to fight to get back out there.”
Teammate Joey Gallo visited Calhoun at the hospital Monday morning.
“He’s doing all right. He couldn’t talk but he was texting and writing on his phone. He’s good,” said Gallo, who was visibly shaken after witnessing the moment from the on-deck circle. “He has all those tubes in him and is tired from the medicine, but he was saying, ‘tell Woody I am playing as soon as possible.’ That’s all he could talk about. He just wants to hit. He is in pretty good spirits.”
The club is hoping that without a severe concussion, Calhoun could be back sooner than first assumed. The team, unfortunately, has a recent example to follow.
Pitcher Luke Farrell was struck by a line drive during a spring game a year ago and was out for almost five months. Farrell suffered a non-displaced fracture on the right side of his jaw that required surgery. He was hit in nearly the same spot as Calhoun.
Farrell’s jaw was wired shut for a month and he was on a liquid diet. He lost weight and strength during the ordeal. His biggest issue, however, was a severe concussion that gave him migraines for two months. Farrell didn’t start throwing for more than two months and didn’t make it back to the Rangers’ clubhouse.
Woodward and members of the Rangers’ staff also followed Farrell to the hospital, which was across the street from Scottsdale Stadium.
“I have a lot of respect for those guys taking the time to come over. It meant a lot to me, more importantly it meant a lot to my family to see me in the hospital bed going through that,” Farrell said. “It was pretty jarring for them, so to know there was support from the organization, and it didn’t change. Obviously, they came over right away but the support I had from the staff never changed the entire season.”
Nick Solak, who Woodward said would likely be the first option to fill in for Calhoun in left field, was more concerned about his teammate’s health than the opportunity it might give him to get more major league at-bats.
“It’s tough walking in here today and not seeing Willie’s smiling face and just hoping he gets back here as soon as he can,” Solak said. “We’re hoping for the best with him and praying for him still. We’re all just thinking about him today. That’s kind of where I’m at.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 6:27 PM.
