On a hot and steamy night in Niles, Ohio a familiar sight to Indians fans appeared in left-field for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
Michael Brantley made his first rehab start in hopes of soon returning to Major League action.
“It’s just good playing baseball again.”
In his first plate appearance, Brantley never saw a pitch in the zone from Tri-City Valley Cats starter Dustin Hunt. On four straight pitches, Brantley jogged down to first without much avail and, most importantly, without testing his right bicep.
He saw only one more pitch in his second plate appearance than in his first and flied out to center-field with the bases loaded.
Brantley finally reached base in his final plate appearance when he hit a breaking ball just out of reach of ValleyCats second baseman Ryne Birk.
Tendinitis can be tricky because it is inflammation or irritation of a tendon; any one of the thick fibrous cords that attaches muscle to bone. The condition causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint.
The Indians and Brantley have been encouraged by his progress since he received a cortisone shot on June 21 after being diagnosed with right biceps tendinitis. The biceps tendinitis had slowed Brantley’s return from November surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder and thus was placed on the disabled list on May 14 for the second time this season.
Brantley’s return could be the Indians version of a blockbuster deadline trade to help the offense. The deadline for making trades without waivers is July 31st. He is expected to play for Lake County on Wednesday and continue his rehab in Akron this weekend.
“I’ve been healthy, it’s just a matter of getting my timing and rhythm back. ”
It seems as if he is close enough.
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