San Francisco, CA
Alex Cobb’s ambitious rehab: How SF Giants’ starter hurried back from hip surgery
PHOENIX — In the shadow of two buttes, Alex Cobb’s four-month odyssey came full circle.
It was here, at the Giants’ Papago Park training complex, that Cobb arrived every morning at 9 a.m. Where every day he went through five to six hours of rehabilitation. And, on Saturday afternoon, where he pitched in his first game since last September, before he underwent surgery on his left hip.
“I put in a lot of sweat in the gym here,” Cobb said, standing to the side of the second of four fields, where he just completed two innings against the A’s Single-A squad. “I started having that feeling when I first got in here to warm up. It was wild to just feel like I was here yesterday rehabbing and we’re already almost at the end of spring.”
With a week left before the Giants break camp, the 36-year-old right-hander is further along than anybody — perhaps except himself — could have envisioned when Dr. Marc Philippon took a knife to his left hip on Oct. 31 in Vail, Colorado. He had five anchors inserted, three bone chips removed and was given a timeline of six months before he would toe a rubber again, let alone do so in a game.
And yet, just after 1 p.m. Saturday at Papago Park’s Field 2, Cobb emerged from the third-base dugout, adjusted his cap and took the mound. He fired his first three pitches for strikes, eventually landing 18 of his 27 pitches in the zone while striking out five of the seven batters he faced. He didn’t allow a hit and didn’t issue a walk, making such quick work of the minor leaguers that after he recorded his final out, they called on an extra batter for him to complete his full scheduled workload.
“From the beginning of the surgery, it was a goal of mine to do that,” Cobb said, so that to him, “it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“I think if you told me when I had the surgery that I’d be this far ahead, I’d be surprised, but as I’m going through the process, I’m not surprised, just knowing how good I’ve felt everyday.”
To manager Bob Melvin, who has at least one hole to fill in his starting rotation, Cobb’s speedy recovery carries more significance. The group behind Logan Webb was already thin before an aneurysm was discovered in Tristan Beck’s shoulder and Keaton Winn’s elbow started barking.
After a successful minor-league outing, Cobb could now get into a Cactus League game within the next week, Melvin said. He could be an option for the major-league rotation as soon as the end of April, a full two months ahead of the timeline laid out to him in the wake of the operation.
“It would be a big deal,” Melvin said. “With some of the injuries we’ve had, you obviously don’t want to push somebody like that. But the sooner we can have him, the more of an impact it is. And it’s Alex Cobb. So it’s a big deal. … He’s been relentless. We’ve gotten to this point because of his hard work.”
Cobb may be the poster child for the $70 million investment the organization made in the 33-acre training complex, overhauling the A’s former facilities into a state-of-the-art new home for their minor leaguers that opened in 2022. It has proven to be a boon for big leaguers, too.
While rehabbers such as Cobb have a place to do their work under the watchful eyes of trainers, nutritionists and performance coaches, the amenities are enough to attract a large swath of the substantial contingent of players who make their offseason homes nearby.
“Basically starting January 1, it feels like spring training around here,” said farm director Kyle Haines, who oversees the site. “It draws people to want to be here, and we end up with a very heavy presence training. It creates a great environment, too. We’ve got Logan Webb pushing guys. Kyle Harrison pushing guys. Cobb’s pushing the rehab group. It gives us that organizational connection.”
Outfielder Michael Conforto, who lives about 30 minutes away, made regular use of the facility and said of Cobb, “most days I would go in there, he would already be in there. And then most days when I would leave, he would still be there.”
Working closely with Frank Perez, one of the team’s physical therapists, Cobb began with exercises in the swimming pool. Then he progressed to standing on flat ground. Before long, he was back in the weight room. At each step, Cobb seemed to be hitting his milestones earlier and earlier.
“Frank showed up every single day and worked me to the bone,” Cobb said. “I’d be gassed and he wouldn’t feel bad for one second. He just had me hit the next one.”
If it all sounds a bit remarkable for a 36-year-old entering his 13th season, well, it is.
In 2011, he had thoracic outlet surgery, a career-ender for many players. In 2015, he had the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow repaired, otherwise known as Tommy John surgery. It wasn’t his first hip surgery, either, having undergone a similar procedure on his right hip in 2019.
And yet, at age 35 last season, he was named an All-Star for the first time. (And, he later learned, had been pitching on an impingement in his left hip for about two months at the time.)
“He’s a special human,” said lefty Robbie Ray, 32, who’s recovering from Tommy John and flexor tendon surgeries. “I’m definitely trying to figure out, ‘Hey man, what are you doing?’”
Added the 30-year-old Conforto, pausing to choose his words correctly: “He’s not a 24-year-old young kid, I’m gonna say it as delicately as I can. He doesn’t give off that he’s super old, but he’s been around for a long time. Maybe in some ways that helps.”
Given the six-month timetable, Cobb said he hesitated to have the surgery at all, assuming he would be out until the All-Star break. Immediately following the operation, he began insisting that he would be back ahead of schedule. Webb, his rotation partner and close confidant, thought Cobb was kidding.
“It wasn’t a joke,” Cobb said.
“I didn’t believe him back then,” Webb said. “But as soon as he started playing catch, that’s kind of when I saw.”
That milestone came in January, and on Saturday, a little under two weeks until Opening Day, Cobb displayed for the public what Webb saw back then.
“He was only allowed to throw once every couple days, and every time,” Webb said, “it seemed like it looked like Alex the whole time.”
While Cobb has defied odds, age and time, there was one goal that proved to be too ambitious.
“I told Bob and the training staff and Webby that I’m gonna get ready for Opening Day and if I do, I get the ball,” Cobb smiled. “Webby agreed and Bob agreed. I failed on that, but that was my mindset.”
Giants (SS) 6, Guardians 0
Matt Chapman blasted his first home run as a Giant, and Daulton Jefferies tossed four shutout innings to deliver a win in the home half of a split-squad doubleheader. Shortstop Nick Ahmed also contributed a pair of hits, including an RBI triple, raising his spring batting average to .529 (9-for-17) and OPS to 1.695. Jefferies, 28, is attempting a return from his second Tommy John surgery and being considered for the final spot in the rotation or a swingman role in the bullpen.
Giants (SS) 11, White Sox 7
At Camelback Ranch, Spencer Howard provided an equally strong case for a rotation spot, also going four scoreless — without allowing hit — before the floodgates opened. Marco Luciano walked twice and scored a run, but the biggest chunk of the scoring was provided by third baseman David Villar, who homered, drove in three runs and scored three times in a 4-for-5 effort.
Notable
— More than one milestone occurred at the minor-league fields Saturday. Shortly after Cobb finished his two innings, 23-year-old left-hander Carson Whisenhunt took the mound. It was his first appearance in a game this spring after being slowed by injuries to begin camp. While it didn’t go as well as it did for Cobb, allowing three runs in one inning of work, it should only increase the odds the 2022 66th overall draft pick joins Cobb in the majors later this season.
The 4,140-sq-km bay is the largest estuary on the west coast of the US. Before 2018, this species of whales wasn’t known to stop seasonally or consistently in the bay, bypassing it on their migration route down to Baja California and back up the Arctic, said Josephine Slaathaug, who led a recent study on gray whale mortality in the bay.
One of San Francisco’s busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
All eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 just before the Bay Bridge are closed as crews work around the clock to rehabilitate the roadway. The 55-hour shutdown, which began on Friday night, is scheduled to last until Monday morning in time for the commute.
The closure has forced drivers onto detour routes, leading to heavy congestion for those trying to reach the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley.
The impact is being felt beyond the roadways.
At MoMo’s, a restaurant across from Oracle Park, staff found business noticeably slower.
“A little bit more mellow than usual. We usually see a little bit more foot traffic, a little bit more people on Saturdays,” said Daniel Bermudez, executive chef at MoMo’s.
Bermudez believes the freeway closure may be discouraging visitors from coming into the city this weekend, despite favorable weather.
“The weather is beautiful today. It’s nice and sunny. So we have plenty of tables outside,” he said.
With the San Francisco Giants playing an away game, the restaurant had hoped fans would still gather to watch, but turnout during game time remained light.
“This is kind of like our off-season Saturday. A lot slower than our baseball weekend,” said Casandra Alarcon, general manager at MoMo’s.
Other small businesses in the Mission Bay and South of Market neighborhoods reported similar trends, saying most of their customers are regulars who live nearby rather than visitors.
“A little bit slower for sure. Before, we had tourists come and walk to the baseball park,” said Ajaree Safron, manager at Brickhouse Cafe & Bar.
Caltrans has shut down eastbound lanes between 17th and 4th streets to repave the 71-year-old roadway. The goal is to extend the life of the Bayshore Freeway by another decade.
City and transportation officials said the timing of the closure was intentional, noting fewer major events scheduled in San Francisco this weekend, aside from the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Westbound lanes remain open, and officials said traffic heading into San Francisco from the East Bay has not been significantly affected.
“Getting into the city, it wasn’t too bad. Regular [traffic], what we expect on a Saturday morning,” said visitor Andrea Inouye.
While the closure has posed challenges for businesses, some workers said they are taking it in stride.
“Hopefully, it’s not for too long and we get past it, and get back to our normal routine,” Bermudez said.
Despite early concerns about widespread gridlock, transportation officials said the region has avoided the worst-case scenario. Traffic remains heavy in areas near detours, but the anticipated “carmageddon” has not materialized, in part because many drivers chose to avoid the area or take public transit.
Bay Area High School baseball fans are treated to a rare opportunity Saturday (April 18) with three games at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, including the famed Bruce-Mahoney clash between West Catholic Athletic League rivals St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The first pitch of the 20th annual Dante Benedetti Baseball Classic starts at 11 a.m. and pits two more San Francisco private schools as University (9-7), winners of four straight, taking on Riordan (5-11).
That will be followed by the Bruce-Mahoney game at 2:30 between St. Ignatius (12-5, 4-2 WCAL) and the Irish (7-10, 1-5) and finished off with a North Coast Section clash between North Bay’s Marin Catholic (9-7) against Acalanes (7-6-1).
The Benedetti Classic, founded by Dante’s Boys Foundation board member Tom Lounibos and Giants president Larry Baer, benefits the DBF which honors the spirit of Benedetti who for nearly 40 years owned San Francisco’s Mr. Baseball nickname for his kindness and generosity to baseball-playing youth in the area.
Among their philanthropic efforts are glove and baseball equipment drives, field renovations and contributions to scholarships and sponsorships.
After starting the season 0-4 — three of those losses were by one run — University, under head coach Andrew Suvunnachuen, has found its way, winning the last four, all in Bay Counties League play, by a combined 51-6 count over Lick-Wilmerding (16-1 and 11-3) and San Domenico (13-2 and 11-0).
Senior catcher and pitcher Jett Messenger leads the way with a .447 average, while getting on base at a .638 rate. He also leads the team with 20 stolen bases. Junior third baseman Tate Gebhart is hitting .419, while Leo Felder and Behbart share the RBI lead with 15 each.
Junior Matthew Foley is 3-2 on the mound with a 2.38 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
Riordan, under second-year head coach Craig Sargent, was 5-5 in nonleague games but lost six straight in the rugged WCAL, losing two tough games this week to Mitty (3-2 and 7-4). Junior third baseman and pitcher Santiono Williams leads the team in batting average (.371), on-base percentage (.488) and stolen bases (nine). He’s also been the team’s top pitcher at 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA.
The teams have split two previous games in their history, with Riordan winning 2-0 in 2023 and University prevailing 5-0 in 2021.
St. Ignatius, led by ninth-year head coach Brian Pollzzie, has already secured the Bruce-Mahoney trophy with four straight wins — one each in football, girls volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball — but this rivalry is always spirited.
The Wildcats, who are ranked fourth in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle, are coming off a tough 3-0 home loss to No. 2 St. Francis on Friday after beating the host Lancers 10-6 on Tuesday.
The team is led by Stanford-bound Archer Horn, who is hitting .486 with four home runs and a .604 on-base percentage. The shortstop and pitcher also has not allowed an earned run in three pitching appearances while registering one save.
Pitching is a team’s strength with a 2.59 ERA, led by a brigade of strong arms including Leo Rhein (2-0, 2.38), Tycco Giometti (2-1, 2.62), Charlie Stecher 1-1, 0.72) and Chase Gordon (1-0, 2.80). The team is missing standout Finn Demuth, out of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, led by fourth-year head coach Gregg Franceschi, has scored 60 runs on the season and given up 61. The Irish are coming off two losses to eighth-ranked Valley Christian (5-2 and 10-1).
They are led offensively by junior outfielder Brody O’Sullivan (.381) and senior infielder Jacob Vines (.378). Johnny Nepomuceno and Max Nylander are other run-producers. Zach Stallworth (37 strikeouts, 29.2 innings) and Cooper Rogers Lewis (0.25 ERA) have been the team’s top pitchers.
The series has been remarkably close since 2005 with Sacred Heart Cathedral holding a 27-20 edge, though St. Ignatius won both games last season (5-0 and 6-3) after the Irish won 9-7 and 1-0 in 2024.
Marin Catholic hopes to get back to winning after starting the season 9-1, but have since lost six straight, four in Marin County Athletic League play, including 4-2 to Novato on Thursday. Senior outfield Luke Martin is the team’s leading hitter at .478 while senior infielder and pitcher Cooper Mitchell is at .455. Senior infielder Walker Untermann leads the team with 15 RBIs.
Acalanes is at the other end of the spectrum, winners of five of six after a 2-5-1 start. Junior infielder Tyler Winkles, also a highly recruited quarterback in football, leads the team with a .383 average and nine stolen bases. Riley Gates (2-3, 2.49 ERA, 30 strikeouts) is the team’s top pitcher.
The teams have played three times, all since 2022, with Marin Catholic owning a 2-1 lead. Acalanes won last year’s game 8-7.
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