MLB ALL-STAR PITCHER WAS TREATED BY BEACON ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE’S DR. TIM KREMCHEK
February 21, 2023
Second consecutive season a Kremchek patient named All-Star
CINCINNATI – When Cincinnati Reds pitching prospect Joe Mantiply underwent Tommy John Surgery to his elbow in 2018, he wasn’t sure if he would ever make it to the major leagues.
But on Tuesday, the 31-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander will be in Dodger Stadium as a member of the National League All-Star Team. And he thanks Dr. Tim Kremchek of Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine for helping him get there.
“I definitely never thought making All-Star would be possible,” said Mantiply, who is making his first All-Star appearance. “I thank all the people who helped me get there, and one of those people who played a big role is Dr. Kremchek.”
“He’s the best,” Mantiply said. “He made me completely comfortable with the process and his follow-up was tremendous. He was always just a phone call away and when I was rehabbing. When he would come out to Goodyear (Arizona) where I was rehabbing, he would always check on me to make sure I was progressing. I would recommend Dr. Kremchek to any other player who needs Tommy John Surgery, no doubt about it.”
Dr. Kremchek, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who has performed thousands of Tommy John surgeries and is in his 26th year as the Reds team physician, said he is honored and humbled that he could help Mantiply with his big league career.
“The guy has all of the talent in the world,” Dr. Kremchek said. “I didn’t do anything to make him a better pitcher. I just took away his pain. Now, he can use all of his tools.”
Mantiply has had an arduous journey to Tuesday’s All-Star game.
Drafted by the New York Mets in the 2009 draft, Mantiply – a Virginia native – opted instead to play collegiate ball at Virginia Tech. He spent time in the minor league organizations of the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees before being signed by the Reds in late 2017.
Mantiply was pitching and working out in the off season of 2018 when a nagging pain in his arm would not go away.
“I’m glad Doc Kremchek finally opened me up,” Mantiply said. “Because when he did, he saw that the UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) wasn’t just partially torn, it was completely torn.”
This season has been Mantiply’s breakout year. Earlier this year, he set a Major League record for left handed pitchers by not allowing a walk in 34 straight outings. He currently has a 2.31 ERA and has emerged as one of the Diamondbacks top pitchers.
In a video posted on Twitter, Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo announced to the team that Mantiply make the All-Star and talked about how much adversity he has overcome.
“This is a story of perseverance, belief in times when things aren’t going your way,” Lovullo said. “A couple of organizations gave up on him. And luckily, he landed here.”
This year marks the second consecutive season that one of Dr. Kremchek’s patients made their first All-Star team. Last year, it was Oakland A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt, who had Tommy John Surgery in 2017 and pitched in the 2021 All-Star game.
Kremchek is known throughout Major League Baseball as one of the best at what he does. Bleacher Report has named him a Top 10 MLB surgeon and in addition to Mantiply and Bassitt, his patients have included pitchers Brent Suter of the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Diego Padres Mike Clevinger and the Cincinnati Reds Alexis Diaz.
“I’m around a lot of ballplayers, so I know what guys like Joe Mantiply are going through,” Dr. Kremchek said. “If I can get them back to playing, especially at a very high level, it is just very satisfying. It makes you feel good. It makes me get up in the morning, knowing that I can help someone like this. It is why I do what I do.”
About Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
Established in 1996, Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has helped thousands of patients overcome injuries and improve their quality of life. Beacon Orthopaedics provides medical direction and coverage for over 30 local high schools, five college athletics programs, and professional teams including the Cincinnati Reds. With 16 locations across Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana, Beacon offers instant access to comprehensive orthopedic care, including sports medicine, physical therapy, athletic training, imaging services, regenerative medicine, as well as surgical procedures involving neck, spine, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, foot and ankle repair, reconstruction, and replacement. Beacon is the founding group of OrthoAlliance, a patient-centered, physician-led management services organization designed to help orthopaedic physicians grow and thrive in an evolving healthcare landscape. Since its founding OrthoAlliance has successfully grown into one of the leading platforms in the country.
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