Bouncing back from a ‘nightmare’
Healthy Riddle grateful after months of rehab before ’18 season
JUPITER — As J.T. Riddle took batting practice Wednesday morning, the 27-year-old enjoyed a feeling that was absent last spring — the feeling of complete health.
After making his MLB debut in April 2017, his rookie season didn’t end the way he was hoping. Following a 70-game debut in which he slashed .250/.282/.355, the shortstop was shut down that August for seasonending shoulder surgery to repair his left labrum.
Spending the entire offseason rehabbing before the 2018 season, he came into spring training weaker than usual and quickly suffered tendinitis in his throwing shoulder and missed the majority of spring training.
“It was definitely a mental grind,” Riddle said. “All I could do basically was rehab my shoulder. I couldn’t do any baseball activity. I couldn’t work out, really.
“It was not a fun offseason.” Riddle didn’t return to the lineup last season until May 26 and struggled to get in rhythm, slashing .231/.277/.377 with nine home runs in 102 games.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly has frequently emphasized the importance of offseason training, and felt Riddle’s inability to focus solely on baseball hindered his development for 2018.
“His winter last year is probably the nightmare for a player,” Mattingly said. “He
wasn’t able to lift weights, so he doesn’t get any of his strength training. He’s not able to hit, so he’s behind. He probably just walked into camp last year behind the 8-ball from the very beginning and that just snowballs on you.”
“I feel like it cost him a year.”
But with another whole offseason — filled with weight training and baseball activity — the former University of Kentucky standout is hoping he can turn things around.
Riddle spent the offseason training in Kentucky with his cousin, Jordan Burk, who played both football and baseball at Georgetown (Ky.) College. After reporting to camp last season 17 pounds light, Riddle is back to his target weight of 195 pounds.
“[I was doing] total body stuff, power lifting stuff now — finally I can do that,” Riddle said. It’s always good to get your squats in and build up your muscle in the offseason.”
“I can tell the ball is jumping off a little bit better than what it was last year. I can tell I’m stronger and feel better. Bat speed and everything — I can definitely feel the difference.”
In addition to a steady dose of lifting and hitting, Riddle also utilized a less common approach — acupuncture. The shortstop’s cousin is licensed acupuncturist and started working on Riddle a couple of years ago — despite initial hesitation.
“I’m not a fan of needles and being stuck, but I’ve gotten used to it,” Riddle said. “Once you do so many, its nothing anymore.”
“It’s part of my routine. I’ve done it a lot going through the shoulder surgery. That offseason, I’d hang out with him all the time and we’d do acupuncture and I love it. Some people don’t like it, but I feel it works for me.”
“I can tell the ball is jumping off a little bit better than what it was last year. I can tell I’m stronger and feel better. Bat speed and everything — I can definitely feel the difference.”
— J.T. Riddle
The Marlins 13th-round pick in 2013, Riddle is hoping to build some consistency after a tough 2018. The 27-year-old is one of the few left-handed hitters in the lineup and showed some pop last season, highlighted by a three-game stretch where he belted three home runs and two doubles.
Riddle will compete for time at shortstop once again after platooning last season with Miguel Rojas. Riddle could see some reps at second base, but short is his most likely spot.