The Houston Astros got hit with a tough break early in the 2025 season when Spencer Arrighetti fractured his right thumb on April 7. A line drive caught him during batting practice, sending the pitcher to the 15-day IL and eventually the 60-day IL.
Arrighetti avoided surgery, but he’d miss the next four months rehabbing. The fractured thumb required a cast, which limited more than just his throwing ability.
Turns out the hard-throwing righty couldn’t enjoy his favorite hobby either – building Lego sets.
Arrighetti’s been obsessed with Legos since he was a kid. It’s one of those things he never outgrew, and with a cast on, not being able to stack bricks became another frustration during his recovery.
But once doctors removed the cast, Arrighetti had his priorities straight. He immediately asked if he could play video games and get back to his Legos. And here’s the interesting part – Arrighetti thinks his hobby actually helped speed up his recovery, according to Brian McTaggart.
“That stunk, but as soon as I got the cast off, I asked if I could play video games and do other stuff, and they said, ‘Yeah.’ Honestly, I think Legos might have helped me get more dexterity back quicker. You never know,” said Arrighetti.
He’s not the only big leaguer still fascinated with the hobby. Baltimore Orioles sluggers Colton Cowser and Gunnar Henderson have spent the last few seasons competing in an annual competition to see who can build complex sets the quickest.
Makes sense when you think about it. The fine motor skills required for intricate Lego builds probably translate pretty well to rehabbing finger and thumb dexterity. Sometimes the best recovery tools aren’t always found in the trainer’s room.
