Seventeen months since having Tommy John elbow surgery, reliever Shae Simmons still isn’t ready to rejoin the Braves bullpen. But he’s getting closer. Again.
Simmons will throw in simulated-game conditions Monday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment soon after, provided there are no setbacks.
The hard-throwing right-hander was in the final stages of a rehab assignment last month before being forced to shut it down after developing latissimus dorsi tendinitis near his pitching shoulder. That was about four weeks ago.
A healthy Simmons, 25, could be a major addition for the Braves in the last couple of months of the season, allowing him to work back toward being the impact pitcher the Braves expected him to be before he blew out the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow during a mound session just before 2015 spring training.
When healthy, Simmons was dynamic and showed the potential to become a top setup man or closer.
As a rookie in 2014, he went on the disabled list July 29 with shoulder soreness and didn’t pitch again that season. Simmons had been called up for the first time May 31, 2014, converted a save in his second game, and posted a 0.96 ERA and .172 opponents’ average in his first 20 appearances.
