After slow start to spring, Twins reliever Josh Staumont seeing velocity tick up

FORT MYERS, FLA. – There was no pause to celebrate during the middle of a spring training outing, but Twins reliever Josh Staumont took it as an encouraging sign when the radar gun showed 98 miles per hour Saturday.

Staumont underwent surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) last summer, which involves removing the first rib and scalene muscles, so it wasn’t a major surprise when he wasn’t hitting 100 mph like he did earlier in his career.

He was sitting at 92-93 mph through his first few Grapefruit League outings, a noticeable drop from the 96 mph he averaged on his fastball last year. Staumont, a 30-year-old righty, knew he couldn’t rush the recovery process, but it’s not easy to maintain patience when he’s actively competing for a spot in the bullpen.

The biggest lesson, Staumont says, is “understanding that this is a progression that is actually lasting and trying not to do a fad-diet approach. Trying to solve these problems directly rather than just putting a band-aid over them.”

Historically, the track record for pitchers returning from TOS surgery is mixed, but Staumont was relieved when he finally figured out what was bothering him. He was dominant for the Kansas City Royals from 2020-21, then he had trouble staying healthy over the past two years.

He likened it to a headache where there are many different causes for it, and it took him 12-18 months before learning the surgical route could alleviate his neck pain.

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Throwing two pitches above 97 mph brought at least a little joy during an outing in which he walked two batters and struck out two. He walked his first batter during a 13-pitch plate appearance.

“Realizing that something is attainable, and a lot of people said it would never happen again type of thing, is kind of cool,” Staumont said. “But we’re going for a longer-term approach. I’m not trying to have that happen and two months down the line have another injury that’s the cause of us overdoing it.”

Said Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli: “I know there were a couple of walks in there, but that was probably his best outing that he’s had where his stuff was actually back up.”

Saturday was Staumont’s first time pitching in eight days after he and his wife, Angelina, experienced a bout of food poisoning. The fastest pitch he threw in his previous outing was 94.6 mph with some fastballs in the 91-mph range.

“A lot of times when it’s a neurological thing, especially with a thoracic outlet thing, some stuff just doesn’t want to move as quickly as others,” Staumont said. “You could have more effort [in a delivery] and still be throwing 93.”

Staumont signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Twins during the offseason. He still has one year left where he can be optioned to the minor leagues without passing through waivers, so he’s not a lock for the Opening Day roster.

The Twins, who are encouraging Staumont to throw his slider more often, are hoping the surgery will help him look like he did earlier his career when he was one of the toughest relievers in the American League Central.

“A lot of people told me a lot of things,” said Staumont after he was asked if it was gratifying to see his velocity tick up, “so the work isn’t done.”