The Braves finally got some good medical news Wednesday when an MRI and bone scan of closer Rafael Soriano's right elbow showed no tears or other structural damage.

"That was a relief," general manager Frank Wren said after meeting with team doctors and Soriano just before Wednesday night's game against San Diego.

The right-hander will resume his throwing program. There's still no timetable for his return, but the likelihood has increased that he will require a brief minor-league rehab assignment before he's activated because of his time on the disabled list, already twice as long as originally expected.

Soriano has been out since April 7 with elbow tendinitis, and the Braves became concerned by his slow recovery and lingering soreness that caused him to cut short recent bullpen sessions that were tests of his readiness to return.

After the soreness flared during a Tuesday bullpen, the Braves set up the battery of tests Wednesday. Soriano passed a similar exam, including an MRI, in January before the Braves signed him to a two-year, $9 million contract.

"What we were really trying to do was rule out a compromised ligament or stress fracture," Wren said Wednesday's tests. "So that was good news. He still has some soreness, but now that we've been able to rule out anything significant, he will be able to resume his throwing program with confidence. ...

"That's the kind of peace of mind you need to give a player."

Jo-Jo in J.J.'s shadow

He's been overshadowed lately by rookie sensation Jair Jurrjens, but left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes remains prominent in the Braves' plans.

"We've always thought he has a real good chance to be a solid major-league pitcher, and he's done nothing to dissuade us," Wren said of Reyes, 23, who makes his second start of the season Thursday afternoon against San Diego.

He won his season debut Saturday against Cincinnati, allowing four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings, with three walks and five strikeouts.

Reyes is 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA in six starts since Aug. 26, after going 0-1 with a 6.82 ERA in his first six starts as a rookie in 2007, when he was called to the majors because of a rash of injuries to Braves starters.

"Much better command and a lot more confidence," manager Bobby Cox said of Reyes' improvement. "It's always controlling your fastball, and he's doing that now. He's got enough confidence now to think he's going to have a good [start] every time out."

Reyes had a rough spring training, which the Braves believed was from trying to prove he was ready to compete for a rotation spot.

Reyes said it was about getting comfortable with an adjustment to his delivery, after pitching coach Roger McDowell noticed he was rising on his toes on the mound, not staying flat-footed and stable.

"I feel more confortable," Reyes said. "I don't think I ever lost my confidence. When I first came up, I didn't know anybody here, except Chuck [James], Mac [Brian McCann] and Frenchy [Jeff Francoeur].

"Just getting more comfortable, where you can have conversations in the clubhouse. And I think I had to get used to the [tighter] strike zone here."

Reyes credited McDowell's adjustment in his delivery, and spring chats with veteran lefty Tom Glavine, for his impressive performances at Class AAA Richmond and his Braves season debut.

Glavine talked to him about mental approach, and using bullpen sessions as dress rehearsals for games, and not as tedious work.

"It seemed like he paid attention," Glavine said. "He went down to Richmond and worked on it, and the other day in the game, and in the bullpen, he looked a lot more comfortable."

Chipper's fast start

Major league batting leader Chipper Jones (.426 before Wednesday) hit his 10th homer Tuesday in the Braves' 31st game, the third-fastest he has reached double digits. He hit his 10th in the Braves' 26th game last season and their 30th game in 1998. In his 1999 National League MVP season, Jones hit his 10th in the team's 44th game, on his way to a career-high 45 homers. He is tied with Joe Carter for 49th on the career home-run list with 396.