Brandon Beachy was encouraged by his second live batting practice session Sunday and how his elbow is responding in a key step in his comeback from “Tommy John” elbow reconstruction surgery. He threw the indoor cages in Detroit so hitters just stood in and didn’t take swings but he’s already seeing progress.
“It came out better,” Beachy said. “It was definitely a lot better yesterday than it was two days (before) in terms of velocity, just the crispness of everything.”
Beachy is scheduled to throw three or four more bp sessions before he can be cleared to begin a six-start minor league rehabilitation program. He’ll throw again Tuesday, working up from five-minute sessions warming up and on the mound. As he builds up he’ll take three days between outings, so if all continues to go as planned he’ll likely begin his rehab in mid-May and return sometime around the year anniversary of his June 21, 2012 surgery.
He said he’s been given a general idea of the timetable but isn’t focused on that yet, just on how his elbow responds.
“It feels good,” Beachy said. “At this point that’s really all that matters. I’ve still got plenty of time for arm strength and command and crispness of breaking balls and stuff like that. I’ve got plenty of time so as long as I’m feeling good and I am, then I’m right where I want to be.”
