Caroline Lubinsky-
Wil Myers, a professional baseball player for the San Diego Padres, had surgery on his left wrist in mid-June of 2015.
According to Myers’ long-time agent, Andrew Nacario, Wil had a bone spur removed that was due to an injury that had occurred in 2014. Nacario said it took “10 weeks to fully recover” for the first baseman and that he returned in September of that same year.
“There’s plenty to worry about while you're at home and the team is on the road, but you just have to bear down to get back out there on the field,” Myers said of the challenges he faced while recovering.
Pam Myers, Myers’ mother, said the time away from baseball “wasn’t easy on him”.
“It was tough mentally not being able to play, practice, or travel with the team. He had to fill a lot of time especially when the team was on the road,” P. Myers said.
She also mentioned that since Myers was so far away from home, frequent visits from loved ones during that time were a welcome distraction from his injury.
Both of Myer’s parents were initially concerned about the surgery and him being under anesthesia but felt assured he would receive world class care.
A specialist in Arizona, Dr. Don Sheridan performed the procedure and was “confident that it was the right thing to do,” according to Nacario.
Dr. Sheridan’s decision proved to be a wise one, as Wil played “two fully healthy seasons in 2016 and 2017”, which Nacario credits to Myers’ hard work.
Myers certainly did work hard. In July of 2016, Myers was selected to participate in the All-Star game which took place inside Petco Park, the Padres’ home field.
In order to get to that point, Myers’ had to think big picture about the surgery.
“Short term, it was difficult for Wil to miss time again in 2015, but long term it was the right plan for him and the Padres organization,” Nacarrio said in an email interview.
During the recovery process, Myers’ said he learned a valuable lesson: “There’s nothing more important than being out there on the field every day. Whether you’re sore or feel great you have to get out there and do your job.”