We don’t have a ‘Pittie for the Comeback Player of the Year, but if we did, then Merrill Kelly would likely have won that as well. Going into the off-season, his future was uncertain to put it mildly. He underwent thoracic outlet surgery in September 2020, to correct an issue that was causing problems with the nerves in his shoulder. It was not a common procedure and the track record for recovery from it was spotty, to the point that there were questions over whether or not the team would pick up Kelly’s 2021 option. They did, and Kelly repaid them by being the most reliable member of the rotation, leading the team in starts, innings and pitcher production (as measured by bWAR).
2012 Pitcher of the Year: Merrill Kelly
