Luebke happy to be back in major leagues

For three-and-one-half years, Cory Luebke has been battling to overcome two elbow surgeries to show he was ready to return to Major League Baseball.

Sunday, the comeback will be complete when Luebke opens the 2016 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opening game against St. Louis at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

"I don't think it will really sink in until opening day on Sunday," Luebke said during a Friday night telephone interview from Indianapolis, where the Pirates will face Cincinnati in the final preseason tuneup today. "It's definitely been an exciting few days."

Luebke signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in February after starting his career in San Diego. The last MLB game Luebke pitched was in May of 2012 before going through the first of two Tommy John surgeries on his pitching elbow. It wasn't until last season that the left-hander was able to finally pitch in competitive games during a rehabilitation stint. However, Luebke had to be shut down due to having a procedure to move the ligament back into place followed by a staph infection.

Then, after getting to camp in Bradenton, Fla., Luebke strained his hamstring while taking part in a fielding drill.

"I got the MRI results back and I was like 'You've got to be kidding me,' " Luebke said with a laugh.   

After several weeks of recovery, Luebke made six relief appearances. While he went 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA, Luebke's velocity was sharp, topping out at 94 miles per hour with his fastball and hitting 87 mph with his slider.

"I didn't know what to expect," Luebke said of his chances of making the majors. "My stuff was good all spring but the numbers didn't really match up with what was coming from my arm. It brought a little bit of closure to the mess that last 3 1/2 years have been. ... I'm just glad that they saw the potential that I have.

"Honestly, it made it more satisfying having missed four weeks of camp (while recovery from the hamstring), being able to go out there for a week-and-a-half, and having the Pirates still believing in what they saw and believing I can help this year is satisfying."

As for his role, Luebke will be in the bullpen to start the season. Luebke doesn't have an inning limit, something that other teams have monitored with pitchers who are recovering from Tommy John procedures.

"That's pretty much the plan until at least the All-Star Break. There's no blueprint on how to treat a guy coming back from what I've been through," Luebke said. "There's no target amount (of innings) we need to stay under. For the most part, it will be a situation you address as you go (through the season)."

The news of his making the Pirates was a wonderful sound to his family and friends, especially since trips to see him pitch will be much closer than his time with the Padres. Not only does the trip to PNC Park take roughly 4 1/2 hours, the Pirates make three trips into Cincinnati, including a three-game series next Friday through Sunday at Great American Ball Park.

"My close family and friends, especially my wife Haley, there's only a select few who knows what it was like for me personally the last 3 1/2 years and how tough it has been, work-wise," Luebke said. "Just the mental struggles, too, with having dealt with what I have dealt with. I've been blessed to be around a lot of good people who have been rooting for me and a great group of therapists who have been working hard with me the last couple of years to make this happen. It's just a good feeling all around."