It’s no secret that a torn ACL is widely considered among the worst possible injuries in sports, with a recovery timeline that can extend over a year. But, while many athletes have had their careers derailed by the ailment, Duke baseball’s MJ Metz has done everything but let the dreaded diagnosis slow him down.
Metz, one of the Blue Devils’ top sluggers, appeared to be gone for the season after tearing his ACL in an 8–7 loss to N.C. State in the ACC Tournament on May 23. However, much to the surprise of college baseball fans everywhere, Duke kept the injured graduate student active leading up to Day 1 of the Conway Regional on Friday.
As it turns out, that decision astonishingly paid off in Duke’s opening matchup against UNC-Wilmington as Metz crushed not one or two, but three home runs in three consecutive at-bats in his first game since the injury.
