See this thread where I detailed my experiences:
Myofascial pain syndrome in both calves - Training - TrainerRoad
I strained my calf cycling several years ago and it took a loooong time to fully recover and still I would say is only 90%. (the PT told me it would never be 100% due to scar tissue). It finally took a year off the bike for me to recover which meant losing all my fitness.
Now I have a strict maintenance routine for my calf - I stretch after EVERY ride and workout, foam roll every night, massage during the day, etc. If I ever miss stretching the calf tightens up and becomes painful. I also have to be very careful with any strength training i.e. calf raises. Too much results in a painful calf for several days. Fortunately I’m back to where I can ride as much as I want pain free.
I also pushed all my cleats mid-foot as mentioned above to reduce calf stress.