Jonny Venters continues his rehabilitation from a second ligament-replacement surgery and hopes to face live batters in the near future.
The left-handed reliever threw about 30 pitches off a mound Friday – at an estimated 80 percent. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday and hoped to throw off a mound again Sunday.
“I was encouraged (Friday),” said Venters, who speculated that he may go to Orlando when the Braves begin a 10-game road trip Monday.
Venters said he is still experiencing pain in his elbow but knows that is part of the lengthy rehabilitation process that has already been slowed several times following his latest surgery.
“It’s part of the surgery,” Venters said. “Having it twice, my elbow has been through a lot. There is a lot of stuff in there. I just look at is as you’ve got to get through it. It’s part of it.”
Venters said he is aware that time is getting short for him to return this season. Following Saturday’s game against the A’s, the Braves have 39 regular-season games remaining.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez would not speculate whether Venters could or could not return this season.
“He has been going through so much stuff, I don’t even want to put that kind of expectation on him,” Gonzalez said. “He is going at his own pace. If it happens and we can us the last week or two weeks, fine. If it doesn’t, then it’s fine also.”
