Reds fan favorite begins unlikely (but gutsy) comeback after multiple elbow surgeries

For Cincinnati Reds fans, Tejay Antone has always been more than just another pitcher. He’s a symbol of perseverance. Now, after years of pain, rehab, and one setback after another, Antone is attempting what might be the most improbable comeback of his career, one that will require every ounce of grit he has left.

Antone’s road to the majors has been far from a straight line. Drafted by the Reds in the fifth round in 2014, he spent years grinding in the minors, fine-tuning his delivery and arsenal. It all finally paid off on July 27, 2020, when he made his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.

Over 4⅓ innings, he struck out five and announced himself as a pitcher who wouldn’t back down from anyone. Reds fans quickly embraced his bulldog mentality, and by 2021, Antone looked like a potential mainstay in the bullpen, or even a future rotation piece.

Tejay Antone’s improbable Reds comeback could be his toughest battle yet

But just as quickly as the door to his big-league career opened, injuries slammed it shut. Antone has been forced to climb mountains few pitchers ever face.

• 2017: His first Tommy John surgery, costing him an entire season.
• 2021: A second Tommy John surgery, another long rehab, and another year gone.
• 2024: The nightmare, a third Tommy John surgery, this time paired with an internal brace procedure and repair of a torn flexor tendon. A surgery so rare and extensive that it would have been understandable if Antone decided to walk away from the game entirely.

Each time, Antone rehabbed. And each time, Reds fans rooted for him, knowing that when healthy, his fearless approach could shut down some of the best hitters in baseball.

Now in 2025, he’s still here, under contract with Cincinnati, and still fighting. This comeback isn’t about just getting back to the majors; it’s about proving that even the most damaged arm in baseball can still deliver quality innings.

Antone’s story has gone well beyond ERA and WHIP. He’s a reminder of the human side of the game. The one that takes resilience, mental toughness, and the love for baseball that keeps a player coming back when the odds are stacked against him.

Antone posted on his social media account that he'll be begin a rehab assignment at High-A Dayton this week. No one knows how this latest chapter will end. But Tejay Antone isn’t finished yet. And that alone is worth watching.

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