What Jonny Venters had thought would be just a week-long setback with some elbow discomfort has turned into something more. He felt soreness in his elbow when he got back on the mound for a bullpen session Sunday and was told doctors believe that was caused by scar tissue breaking up.
Scar tissue breakup is a common setback for those recovering from Tommy John surgery, and doctors told Venters Sunday evening that his elbow is structurally sound.
But just at the point when Venters was ramping up his effort level, and beginning to face hitters again in live batting practice for the first time in more than a year, he’s back to resting and waiting to see how his elbow will respond.
“We’re just playing it day by day and when it starts to feel good again, throw again,” Venters said. “It’s one of those things you’ve got to battle through and be better for it. But it’s just a little sore.”
Venters was 10 pitches into facing hitters for the first time in a live batting practice session May 14 at the Braves complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. when his elbow started to bother him. He was told it was a flexor muscle strain.
Now looking back doctors believe the flexor strain was a result of some scar tissue starting to break up. Venters said he felt a similar sensation on a pitch 15 pitches into his bullpen session Sunday at Turner Field, and believes that was a continuation of the scar tissue breaking up.
Venters said there was a moment after he threw one particular pitch Sunday when he was concerned. But doctors assured him the surgically-repaired ligament was OK.
“It’s solid,” Venters said. “Doc cranked on it and said it’s stable. Everything is good. Just part of the process.”
Venters is familiar with the process, coming back from his second Tommy John surgery. He went through it the first time as a minor leaguer in 2006. He has just passed the year mark (May 16) from his second Tommy John and because it was his second, he expected longer than a typical 12-month recovery.
“In my mind I was hoping it would be easy,” Venters said. “I kind of had a good idea it wasn’t going to be. Could be worse. Just resting today doing some treatment, see how it feels tomorrow.”
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