Ohio State pitcher Alex Wimmers threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time in nearly three weeks. The Buckeye ace has been sidelined since pulling his left hamstring during a pregame stretch at Michigan April 30.
“He’s progressing day to day and getting better,” pitching coach Eric Parker said. “We’ll keep evaluating, especially in the middle of the week, and see where he’s at.”
To this point, Wimmers — a Pitcher of the Year quarterfinalist — has only been lifting, rehabbing and throwing on flat ground. Tuesday marked his first bullpen session since the injury.
Wimmers himself hopes he will be ready to return to game action as soon as this weekend.
“I’m trying to get back for this weekend,” Wimmers said, “trying to get back for Saturday or Sunday.”
The Buckeyes head to Iowa City, Iowa, Thursday to take on the Hawkeyes in a critical three-game series. However, the coaching staff isn’t as optimistic as Wimmers that he’ll be ready to go this weekend.
To ask him to pitch this weekend “would be a lot to ask of anyone,” Parker said.
Coach Bob Todd went even further, saying that he won’t know if Wimmers will travel with the team until they leave on Thursday.
“He’s obviously got a bright future and we’re not going to do anything to jeopardize that,” Todd said.
Wimmers acknowledged that he needs to recover fully before he can take the mound for the Buckeyes and that the coaching staff will ensure that.
“I don’t think anybody would let me go out there if I was just 90 percent. I have to be 110 percent in order to go back out there,” Wimmers said.
So far this season, Wimmers has been dominant, posting a 9-0 record with a 1.61 ERA.
With just six conference games remaining, the Buckeyes could use their ace as they are just one game out of first place in the standings. Wimmers is all too aware of the team’s situation.
“It’s killing me,” Wimmers said about not being able to pitch. “With the conference as close as it is, you just want to be out there helping your team as much as possible.”
