NEW NORK – Braves pitcher Gavin Floyd had a checkup with his New York doctor and will not throw before October as he continues his recovery from June 25 surgery for a fractured elbow.
“He will increase his exercise program but won’t throw for six weeks,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, reading from the report he received after Floyd was examined by Dr. David Altchek in New York. “But (Braves head trainer Jeff Porter) seems to think it’s normal and doesn’t see any reason he can’t be ready to pitch in spring training, because it’s nothing to do with Tommy John, it’s just the bone.”
Floyd, 31, had Tommy John surgery in May 2013 with the White Sox, signed a one-year contract with the Braves last winter, and went 2-2 with an impressive 2.65 ERA in nine starts this season before fracturing his pitching elbow while throwing a curveball in a June 19 game at Washington.
The injury was season-ending, but an MRI showed no damage to the ligament and flexor tendon that Altchek repaired in the May 2013 surgery.
Braves general manager Frank Wren said it was too soon to determine whether the Braves would try to re-sign Floyd, much as it was too soon to know if they would offer contracts to three pitchers who are recovering from second Tommy John surgeries: Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy and reliever Jonny Venters.
“It’s way too early,” Wren said. “You look to get through this season and figure out what our depth looks like, and how the whole thing comes together. There’s a lot of variables in all those decisions.”
