SEATTLE – A week after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore shoulder, Braves rookie reliever Shae Simmons tested it for the first time with some light throwing Tuesday at Safeco Field before a series opener against the Mariners.
“Felt great,” he said. But then he added, “It’s still a little bit tight, but I think it’s just going to be there. I think it’s more the muscles tight around the nerves that’s making it feel (worse) than it is, actually.”
Simmons was placed on the DL July 29 retroactive to July 27, the day after he walked two of three batters he faced against the Padres. He said at the time that the shoulder had been a little sore for several weeks and that he hadn’t mentioned anything about it to Braves trainers because he thought it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary and would eventually loosen up.
For nearly six weeks after being brought directly from Double-A to the majors on May 31, Simmons was sensational. The hard-throwing little right-hander posted a 0.96 ERA and .172 opponents’ average in his first 20 appearances through July 11, with 19 strikeouts and six walks in 18 2/3 innings.
But in his final six appearances before going on the DL he was 0-2 with a 15.00 ERA and .333 opponents’ average, with four strikeouts and five walks in three innings, along with the first homer he had allowed in more than 120 innings of pro ball.
When he went on the DL, manager Fredi Gonzalez said he didn’t think Simmons would need much more than the 15-day minimum DL stint before returning. He’s eligible to come off the DL on Sunday, but it seems apparent that he won’t be ready that soon.
In his workout Tuesday, he had two sets of 15 throws from 60 feet.
“Basically just lobbing it,” Simmons said. “It’s feeling good. Be back in no time.”
