Roughly 20 hours later, Trent Thornton can laugh about taking a 108.9 mph liner off his left heel.
The fear of a serious injury, though, quickly set in during the immediate aftermath of the sequence Monday night. The Detroit Tigers’ Riley Greene rocketed Thornton’s fastball back up the middle to open the top of the 10th inning, striking the Cubs’ reliever directly on his left heel. The force of the impact reverberated in Wrigley Field.
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Thornton tried to field the ball and throw out Greene at first base but spiked the ball on the attempt when he planted his left foot and the pain set in. At that point, his first concern was his left Achilles, which was surgically repaired last season and slowed his start to this year.
“After the play ended, everything happened so quick, and then I went, ‘Oh man, my foot’s just pulsing,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Oh goodness, is it something to do with my Achilles?’ because it was all just numb at that point,” Thornton said. “But, no, definitely a lot of positive signs today — I got very lucky.
“Injuries are part of the game, and you never know when they’re going to come. Can’t think about them or that’s when they happen. But, yeah, I’m very fortunate that this is the level it is and nothing more.”
Thornton credits his Mizuno cleats for preventing worse damage. The spot the ball hit along the shoe’s heel has a thicker EvoShield-like surface that Thornton believes prevented a worse outcome. The model of Mizuno cleats Thornton wears is no longer made and hasn’t been for years. He held on to several pairs he had from 2019 when he pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and still wears them.
“I’ll tell you what, Mizuno’s spot, wherever it is, right here is hard as a rock,” a grinning Thornton said as he showed the hit area of the cleat. “So, thanks to Mizuno.”
Thornton underwent a CT scan Tuesday morning which, like his X-ray Monday night, was negative for a fracture. He was able to do a modified throwing program before Tuesday’s game.
“I’m happy there’s no stress fracture or fracture, just a bone bruise so I’m taking that as a win,” Thornton said. “Definitely sore today. I mean, it squared me. … I do not want to go on the IL at all. So whatever I need to do, put a Band-Aid on it, I’ll be good.”
Thornton’s optimism about avoiding the injured list was met with a “we’ll see” when manager Craig Counsell was asked about that possibility. Counsell pointed to Thursday’s off day potentially giving Thornton two days to allow his heel to recover, noting, “All those things help so we’ll just go from there.”
However, the Cubs essentially used every reliever Monday night too, “so we do have to take that consideration as well,” Counsell added.
Thornton, 32, has been a valuable addition to the bullpen this season. He’s taken advantage of pitching in front of an elite defense. Despite a career-low strikeout rate (13 strikeouts in 30 innings), Thornton owns a 2.70 ERA and 153 ERA+ in 27 appearances. His emergence has become especially valuable as Counsell’s late-game options have taken a hit with closer Daniel Palencia (flexor strain) expected to be sidelined into August.
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Veteran reliever Phil Maton, who went on the IL for the third time this season on Monday, received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his troublesome right knee Tuesday. Counsell said following the injection, Maton will have no significant activity for the next three weeks.
The Cubs currently have seven relievers on the IL, though Hoby Milner (appendectomy) should be back in early August. Milner told the Tribune he is scheduled to throw another bullpen this week, then live batting practice Sunday before going on a rehab assignment.