SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo defied the knee surgery odds when he returned from a torn ligament in less than five months.
Gallardo was 22 at the time he got hurt in 2008 — a far cry from Yankees closer Mariano Rivera at age 42. Gallardo tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee May 1, 2008, and made a remarkable recovery to start again Sept. 25, 2008, — then took the ball in the Brewers’ playoff opener to boot.
While it’s a different scenario from Rivera’s devastating ACL tear and meniscus injury in his right knee suffered shagging fly balls during batting practice Thursday, Gallardo believes Rivera is in good enough shape to rebound from the injury in fast fashion. Rivera vows to play again by 2013 and not retire.
