SEATTLE – The Braves' bullpen had lost nine consecutive decisions before Tuesday, one loss shy of century-old franchise record. The relief corps could use some good news, and Jonny Venters hopes he can provide some in the not-too-distant future.
The veteran left-hander threw from the bullpen mound Tuesday for the second time in five days, and again reported no soreness and plenty of optimism. Venters hasn’t pitched in a game the 2012 season and is attempting to come back from a second Tommy John elbow surgery in May 2013.
“It went well,” he said of the Tuesday afternoon session in the Safeco Field bullpen. “All fastballs, 20 of them.”
He threw 15 pitches Friday in San Diego at what he estimated to be 70-80 percent effort. That was his first time throwing off a mound since having a platelet-rich plasma injection in late June.
He got the injection from Dr. James Andrews because of recurring soreness in his elbow shortly before he was set to begin a minor league injury-rehab assignment.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he won’t put a timetable on Venters’ return because he doesn’t want to put any pressure or expectations on him after Venters had to deal with the disappointment of previous setbacks that delayed his initially anticipated return date.
But even if Gonzalez says he’s not counting on Venters to pitch this season, the pitcher is certainly aiming for that. Venters is anxious to get back and help the Braves win games and get to the postseason. And so, each positive step has him a little more excited.
“It was good, little bit more (effort),” he said of Tuesday’s sessions. “Cranked it up a little bit more. Hopefully it’ll keep responding well.”
As for that bullpen losing streak, the Elias Sports Bureau said it equaled the second-longest such streak in franchise history. Braves relievers had two previous nine-game losing streaks including most recently in July-August 1982.
The longest bullpen skid in franchise history as a 10-game losing streak by relievers in 1912.
The Braves were 9-16 in their past 25 games before Tuesday, including 0-9 in games decided by one run.
