All Trent Thornton could do was hope for the best.
Thornton hadn’t dealt with many injuries during his professional baseball career, but a torn left Achilles tendon at the end of July while trying to cover first base ended his season with the Seattle Mariners and created uncertainty about how the reliever would come back from such a significant injury.
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Since making his season debut for the Cubs on May 5, Thornton has tossed five scoreless innings over four appearances, including two huge shutout frames in Friday’s win against the White Sox in which he entered with two on and nobody out in a tied game.
Thornton, 32, commended the Cubs’ medical and strength staffs for their investment in him and for doing everything they could to get him back on the mound as soon as possible. He was pitching on a rehab assignment 8 1/2 months after tearing his Achilles.
“Obviously, an injury like that, you hope for the best, being able to get back as soon as possible,” Thornton told the Tribune. “But then finally getting back was a whirlwind of emotions. This was really the first time in my career I had a pretty significant injury and a little question mark after that.
“Here we are, back in the big leagues, just soaking it all in on a really good team.”
The Cubs were extremely deliberate with Thornton’s build-up to game action, from when they signed him to a minor-league deal in January and throughout spring training. The organization didn’t want Thornton feeling any pressure to rush being ready for the start of the season, which, given a compromising injury like an Achilles tear and surgical repair, wasn’t a very realistic goal.
“We kind of knew from the start that we were going to have to slow Trent down. He was going to try to go really fast, and we were gonna have to slow him down and so I think that made the rehab go really well actually,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s been a very smooth recovery process, really. And his arm has always been fine, that’s the other thing is we weren’t dealing with an arm issue.
“The more time that gets passed the stronger he gets, so we’re in a good place there, and he’s coming in and delivered some good innings.”
Thornton arrived at spring training wanting to be ready to compete for a bullpen job, even knowing he wasn’t at full strength. Eventually, Thornton admitted to himself his left leg was still very weak, weaker than maybe he realized as he continued through the rehab process.
“Do I feel 100%? Not quite right, but I’m good and by far good enough to compete and be able to do my job,” Thornton said. “And so just staying with the process they gave me, it helped build my confidence along the way, rather than if I go into a game in spring training and I’m at 85%. Can I pitch? Yes, but am I going to help myself or the team? No, so it was just like getting all that stuff done, but with a purpose behind it.”
Thornton can barely stop beaming as he discusses his journey back. He admitted feeling emotional as he ran in from the bullpen under the Wrigley Field left-field bleachers for his season debut. It wasn’t a soft landing spot, either. Counsell called on Thornton to take the 10th inning and keep the game tied against the Cincinnati Reds; he retired the side on six pitches and the Cubs walked off the Reds in the bottom half.
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“Everything happened so quick and then I got home after that game, months out of service, and I was a little proud,” Thornton said.
As Thornton continues to work to hone his rhythm and tempo, one of the most encouraging trends in his four appearances has been the return of his velocity. Thornton is averaging 95 mph with his fastball, a tick above where he sat with the pitch last season (94.4 mph). Because his arm and shoulder were healthy at the time of the injury, Thornton kept up a modified throwing program so he wouldn’t lose arm strength. As soon as he was in a walking boot in August post-surgery, he started playing catch and remained active. A former teammate, Texas Rangers outfielder Sam Haggerty, had the same injury in 2024, so when Thornton tore his Achilles, he immediately reached out to Haggerty.
Haggerty’s top suggestion: Start walking as soon as possible following the surgery. Thornton described the feedback as “unbelievable advice” and credits it for helping him get back quickly.
“It’s fun because I’m continually pushing myself to get to this place I want to be, which I’m here and I want to continually go this way,” Thornton said. “It’s been a ride, for sure, but it’s just getting started.”