Asa Lacy had already missed all of 2023 with a back injury, and he was forced to rework his delivery and mechanics. He was just on the mend and ramping up in spring training and participating in drills. Now, news broke from Lacy himself that he has undergone Tommy John surgery. The typical recovery time for TJ is 10-12 months, but it could be as long as 18 months.
Brutal news. One word to describe the news… sucks. It sucks for Asa Lacy, the Royals, and Royals fans who have been dreaming about the potential Lacy could bring to the big league club. I mostly feel for Lacy in this situation as he’s been through every possible adverse event and asked to overcome it. The mental strength and fortitude it must take to feel right on the verge of returning to face another setback must be insane.
It’s been a long and winding career of for Lacy since he was drafted 4th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft (the COVID-19 shortened draft). Because of the COVID season, Lacy ended up not making his professional debut with the Royals until 2021, where he pitched the entire season in High-A. The injuries started in that first year when Lacy was shut down in July 2021 due to a shoulder injury.
I interviewed Lacy for Royals Farm Report to talk to him about the difficulties of overcoming injuries and the adversity that comes with it. The most difficult thing for him was not to be able to compete. He had always prided himself on being a reliable and dependable starter, and it was the first time he would miss significant time in his career. It was a frustrating time for Lacy, and at the time, it was unknown that the injuries keeping him down would continue.
Lacy was primed and ready to make a comeback in 2022. A new bill of health and outlook, he thought he was ready to go. He rested and recovered during his rehab and made his way to the Arizona Fall League where he started to showcase his absolutely electric stuff again striking out 15 in 7.2 innings pitched. He even popped 100 mph on the radar gun. “The biggest success I had moving forward from this minor injury would be my performance in instructs and the fall league,” said Lacy. “Being healthy and validating my abilities against great competition in the AFL.”
That’s when Lacy and even Royals fans thought there was a chance he would start to reach the ceilings we had all hoped for. Lacy felt he could finally throw freely and was in a spot where he could truly just let go without worrying about injury. These are huge steps in the recovery process for any athlete. Just being able to prove to yourself that you can still go out there and compete and attack with your best stuff. Signs were pointing in the right direction.
Then the 2022 season started, and Lacy returned to the injured reserve list after two starts in April. Those starts weren’t perfect, but they were some of his best, where he scored 9.2 innings while striking out 13. Positive signs were followed, but another lengthy trip to the injured reserve list. This time for a back injury. He wouldn’t come back until June and was working out of the bullpen, and he struggled excessively with his command/control, walking 37 batters in 17.1 innings. He was then shut down in August and saw the mound again.
Lacy would go on to not pitch another game in 2023. His career has been hampered by injuries, and every time we think he’s on his way back, another unfortunate turn of events comes into play. We haven’t had the opportunity to see him and what he is truly about. It gives you many vibes of Kyle Zimmer.
He was finally starting to make progress again and pitching this spring. He was pitching in a limited fashion before the injury, but he was throwing bullpen sessions, live batting practice, and starting to ramp up. Then, on March 19th, Lacy posted on Instagram that he had undergone Tommy John surgery. As mentioned earlier, the recovery process is lengthy, and we won’t see Lacy throw a single pitch in 2024. It’s just so hard to see him have to go through yet another setback.
It’s tough watching fans either blame Lacy or the Royals for the trials and tribulations he has endured. It’s one of those elements you really can’t control. One thing I loved about Lacy is that he knows the adversity he’s gone through and still refuses to back down. The guy wants to be out there throwing and competing with his guys more than anyone.
That will… that mental strength is what gives you hope that Lacy will be back on a mound competing, and maybe one day we will see him in a Royals uniform at The K. For Lacy, the Royals, and as a Royals fans, it’s what you should be hoping for. Everyone in this situation benefits from a healthy Asa Lacy. We are all rooting for him and wishing him a speedy recovery at Farm to Fountains!