I would like to know what the earlier injury was. Vague references to something keeping him out of practices in October. Below reference per Luke Fox on Sportsnet.
“I mean, you can put a spin on it. I’ve been doing that,” Rielly said. “You try to take opportunity to rest and heal other injuries, do what you can to prepare mentally to get back and be in a good place and help the team. That’s the end goal.”
My theory is its something like a gunnion injury. A blown nut normally requires surgery but with lesser nad trauma its often just time and rest. Plumbing issues are seldom talked about. I only bring this up because a defined physical limitation would explain his unimpressive early season and give us hope that the guy who returns resembles the Rielly of last season. They never even gave us the standard "lower body injury" .