Shane Drohan returns to the mound for the WooSox: 'Physically, this season it's easier because I'm healthy'
WooSox left-hander Shane Drohan made his first start back in the Red Sox organization on Tuesday night. It was his first appearance since June 6, when he was with the White Sox organization.
Drohan tossed 3 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run off four hits with four walks and three strikeouts. He threw 81 pitches, 47 for strikes, with nine swings and misses, according to Baseball Savant.
The left-hander split time between the White Sox and Red Sox systems this season. He initially landed with Chicago after he was selected in the Rule 5 draft back in December. A shoulder injury derailed his spring and the start of the season, resulting in him undergoing nerve decompression surgery in his throwing shoulder.
“Once I got to spring training with the White Sox, it was like day one of going through some testing there, like you're getting surgery,” said the lefty.
Following feeling healthy from the surgery, Drohan began a rehab assignment for the White Sox. He made 10 appearances out of the bullpen, posting an 8.68 ERA, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) off nine hits while striking out 15 batters and walking eight over 9 1/3 frames.
Drohan returned to the Red Sox organization on June 12 after the White Sox designated him for assignment and cleared waivers.
“I liked that I was back to games,” Drohan said. “First time since early June of this year that I was back in the game, and then my first start this season. It was just nice to get back into the swing of it. Obviously, I felt like I got tired towards the end. I just didn't really have the build-up there yet. I mean, other than that, I felt pretty good.”
Once Drohan returned to the Red Sox organization and was sent down to Fort Myers, the team put him on an intense training program that included a plyo velocity program.
“After six weeks, I was kind of going the other way. I think it was just because of where the shoulders at, it's just the timing of that program, which really wasn't the best thing for my arm,” said Drohan.
The Red Sox had Drohan work on his curveball and adding velocity to that pitch, while also working on getting command of all his pitches.
“Once we kind of pulled away from that, it all jumped back up,” said Drohan. “We were working on the pitch shapes, throwing the curveball a little bit more, throwing it harder. We're trying to get that up to around 80 miles an hour. Obviously, fastball would be low, and then just the command of all the pitches in the zone.”
Drohan is expected to finish the season in the WooSox rotation, giving the Red Sox another potential left-handed option heading into the spring next year. His focus right now is remaining healthy and feeling good on the mound.
“I haven't had much. time this year. I think physically this year it's easier because I'm healthy,” said Drohan. “I kind of had the shoulder messed up for a good amount—a lot longer than we might have thought. Just having the extra time with the rehab, I can really build myself up physically. It's not as hard on the body to throw. The days after, I'm still feeling really fresh.”
Outside of Drohan returning to the mound for the WooSox, the southpaw physically looks bigger, adding noticeable size to his frame.
“It's kind of been like a three-and-a-half-year process. Last year, that last offseason, I put on some good size and came into the season like high 180s and then kind of dropped down throughout the season,” said Drohan.
“I think I finished at like 186 or 187 pounds,” Drohan added. “Then it was kind of the same deal going into the off-season. I got up to 197 pounds by the time it was ready to go to spring training. I've got myself up to 203 or 204 pounds now. I'm gonna probably do the same thing this off-season: try to get up to around 210 or 212 pounds. For me, it's just the bigger I've gotten; it's translated to more velo, better command, better stuff. So we just kind of keep climbing that ladder until it doesn't feel good.”
A big part of his training during the offseason takes place at Cressey Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
“I’ve been going there for a while,” said Drohan. “It’s a great place, especially once you really get in there and you see all the names that are in there working out and kind of just really see how they go about their stuff. It's cool to see, just being around guys who have won Cy Youngs and just talking to them. It's just, like, really cool.
“I’m lucky that that's my hometown because not everybody has a trainer like Eric (Cressey). You can go in there, and he can figure out everything and design everything for you. He was actually the one who noticed my shoulder two years ago. He gave me a bunch of stuff along with Shane Rye; he’s their mental therapist.
“They gave me stuff to do on a daily basis just to maintain the shoulder where it was before the surgery. I think if I didn't have that, I probably would have had a blowout episode just because I was missing two of the muscles in there.”
