Jesse Winker, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, had a cervical disc replacement during the offseason and said he is "feeling strong," according to an article posted by MLB on Feb. 14.
Mr. Winker had two offseason surgeries: a meniscus repair in his left knee and a cervical disc replacement. Disc replacement is rare in baseball players, but he heard about the procedure's success in the NFL, NHL and MMA. Disc replacement helped address ongoing neck pain and mobility issues for Mr. Winker.
"[The physicians] told me the numbers, they told me the success rate. And I was very encouraged," Mr. Winker said in the article. "I mean, when you're hearing about the neck, it's pretty scary. But after talking to my surgeon and doing the research on my own, I felt confident in it. And it was something that was [either] deal with what I was dealing with or get the procedure. There was no other option that I was comfortable with."
MLB did not provide details about who performed Mr. Winker's disc replacement. A spokesperson for the league did not immediately respond to a request from Becker's.