Braves reliever Jacob Lindgren has yet to pitch this spring, and won’t anytime soon after experiencing soreness in his most recent throwing session.
Lindgren, 24, missed last season following Tommy John surgery in August 2016 while he was with the Yankees. The Braves signed Lindgren that December after he was non-tendered.
“He threw live (batting practice) the other day and felt a little soreness in his elbow, so we’re just backing off of him,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’re just going to make sure with him. He’s been down a long road and you don’t want to rush or do anything. He’s a little sore so we’re just setting him back a little bit.”
Lindgren was a low-risk, high-reward play by the Braves. His non-tendering came as a surprise to many given his strikeout potential. Lindgren struck out 14.1 batters per nine innings in his minor league career.
The Yankees selected Lindgren in the second round of the 2014 draft. He was the first member of their class to reach the majors, and while the team wanted to retain him, he chose to join the Braves because of their proximity to his native Biloxi, Mississippi.
The lefty uses a slider as his out-pitch and boasts a low-to-mid-90s fastball. His command grew more erratic after surgery to remove bone spurs from his throwing elbow in 2015.
With the recurring elbow injuries, Lindgren pitched in just 13 games over the past three seasons and was shutdown in 2015 and 2016 before sitting out a year.
In 40 minor league games, Lindren amassed a 1.84 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 32 walks. He’s pitched in seven major league games, allowing four runs with eight strikeouts and four walks in seven innings.
