Baseball has given us plenty of reasons to smile and cry. But this one is straight from the heart that many may have never expected. Yes, it’s true. The Cleveland Guardians have finally called up their relief pitcher, who’s been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The star started the season while undergoing treatment for the disease. However, he managed to pitch a few times for the Triple-A Jacksonville until getting a call from Cleveland.

Nic Enright must have been thinking some time back whether he would ever get the chance to make his way into the major league. It was in 2022 when Enright was just on the verge of achieving his dream, but the cancer diagnosis changed everything. However, his plans didn’t. Just like there’s always light at the end of darkness, he finally had the chance to pitch. And now he is set to debut in MLB soon.

As quoted by Zack Meisel, “The Guardians are calling up Enright from Triple-A Columbus to join their bullpen, multiple team sources told The Athletic, in place of Hunter Gaddis, who is headed to the bereavement list following a death in the family.” The relief pitcher, who once, lying on the hospital bed, was unsure about making it into the major league, now seems to be smiling.

But what made it possible? Well, after the Miami Marlins returned him to the Guardians in June 2023, Enright began to show his potential. In 17 innings pitched, he recorded 31 strikeouts with a 1.06 ERA. Quite impressive, isn’t it?

That performance led the Guardians to add him to their 40-man roster. However, a late strain delayed Nic Enright’s major league debut. Still, all’s well that ends well. He’s since focused entirely on his pitching, and since returning to Triple-A Columbus post-recovery, he has pitched nine innings and allowed just two earned runs.

Now, he’s finally ready to make his debut — against the Detroit Tigers.

Guardians pitcher’s triumph over adversity is going to inspire millions

From battling cancer to pitching again, that’s not an easy journey. But do you know there’s a person who inspired Enright while fighting against the adversities? The answer is Cleveland Guardians’ pitcher Carlos Carrasco. Undoubtedly, he played a key role in helping Nic Enright through his toughest moments. His encouragement and guidance gave Enright the strength to stay resilient and adopt a positive mindset.  

Reflecting on Carrasco’s support — and his own determination to beat cancer and reach the major leagues — Enright shared: “It’s very easy to kind of sit there after being diagnosed and feel very ‘woe is me’ and all that kind of stuff. But Carrasco helped get me on the path of, ‘Hey, I might have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me. I’m going to live my life as much as I can and do as much as I can.’” Definitely, one needs such encouraging words to overcome an adversity like cancer.

Enright’s parents and his wife, Erin, also stood by him throughout his journey. Hopefully, they’ll be there to witness his debut against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit. His path from cancer patient to MLB pitcher is not only a testament to his perseverance and inner strength but also an inspiration to anyone facing adversity.

Fittingly, Enright’s debut will coincide with the Tigers’ Strike Out Cancer Weekend. That’s undoubtedly a powerful and symbolic backdrop for a comeback story that’s bound to resonate with fans around the world.