Harper, who has a residence in Knoxville during the offseason (despite being originally from Las Vegas), is frequently seen wearing Tennessee Volunteers apparel. This was once more evident on Friday, just ahead of Tennessee’s commencement of a best-of-three series against the Texas A&M Aggies in the College World Series.
Wood arranged for Russell to undergo another MRI three days after Tennessee’s SEC Tournament victory over LSU. Russell went into the examination hopeful but still seeking answers, having dealt with pain and soreness for nearly a year by then.
The exact moment when Russell’s UCL tore remains unclear to him. Unlike many pitchers who hear or feel a pop when the ligament tears, Russell did not experience this sensation. Compounding the mystery, despite undergoing numerous MRI scans, none revealed any issues.
On June 11, Russell underwent successful Tommy John surgery in Knoxville, performed by Tennessee’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Matthew Rappe. Russell chose Dr. Rappe to perform the surgery to avoid a six-week delay. The procedure involved a full reconstruction of his UCL, but Dr. Rappe utilized an internal brace which reduced Russell’s expected recovery time from 12-18 months to approximately eight months. Russell will be able to resume throwing a baseball in four months.
After waking up from surgery, the 6-foot-6 right-hander smiled for the first time since learning he needed the operation, feeling prepared to face the challenges ahead.
