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SALT LAKE CITY — In the game of baseball, injuries happen, especially to a Major League Baseball player, who plays 162 games a season.
If you multiply that number by six, the likelihood an injury will happen is even greater. Salt Lake Bees first baseman/designated hitter Dustin Ackley has played over 600 Major League games with the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees.
Unfortunately, in May 2016, Ackley suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder and in November 2016 was released by the Yankees. Ackley played in just 28 games in 2016, hitting .148 in 61 at-bats.
After signing a minor league deal in February with the Los Angeles Angels, the former second overall draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft is working to get back to full health.
"It's been tough," Ackley said. "I had a setback before camp started that set me back a little bit. But since then it's just been kind of a slow progression. Shoulders are one of those things that I'm learning it just takes time. You have to listen to your body as much as you can and just do the right things and don't try to push it too hard."
Ackley is bouncing back and forth between playing first base and being the designated hitter for the Bees. It is a way for him to take pressure off his recovery and limit the stress put on the surgically repaired shoulder.
"Just trying to work my way into the games and first base and continuing to strengthen my shoulder," Ackley said. "The progression right now is going to be kind of DH and first base on occasion. Then, once I'm ready, it will start to move to the outfield after that. Only time will tell."
The former All-American at North Carolina began his professional baseball career in the Seattle Mariners organization.
Ackley was sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2011 when he hit .273 with six home runs, 16 doubles and 36 RBI's in just 90 games played.
Despite the setback to his shoulder prior to Spring Training, Ackley hopes he can get back to the outfield and make that his home.
"My whole progression has been kind of crazy," Ackley said. "I've kind of been all over the map and, at this point, I've kind of learned to take what comes at me. I think, ultimately, I would like to make a home in the outfield, but the more versatile you are in this game you see now, the better it is."
Ackley has hit .323 with two doubles and four RBI's in seven games played with the Bees, six of which have been as the designated hitter.
In July 2015, Ackley was traded to the New York Yankees for prospects Ramon Flores and Jose Ramirez. Flores is an outfielder and a teammate of Ackley's on the Bees roster.
"It wasn't weird," Ackley said. "I was with him in Spring Training, so it wasn't awkward or weird or anything. I think in this game, it happens so much that it's like just part of it. It's just one of those things where you just go about your day. We've been cool, along with everybody else on the team."
Ackley is also a fan of the National Champion North Carolina men's basketball team and even got to attend the Final Four game at University of Phoenix Stadium against Oregon.
"I follow it a lot," Ackley said. "I have a cousin that is kind of a player development/video equipment guy on the team so ... I've gotten to know Roy Williams over the past years being there, so I have a lot of good times following those guys, and it was fun to see this year."
Kyle McDonald is sports fan who loves the Chicago Cubs. He is a communication major at UVU and will graduate in the spring of 2017. Follow him on Twitter at @kylesportsbias
