The Los Angeles Dodgers have had their fair share of devastating team injuries this season, but maybe none bigger than their former All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton. Broxton hit the DL May 3rd after having a bone bruise develop on his pitching elbow and hasn't seen any game time since, but team doctors feel that he may have a chance to return to the boys in blue this season; just don't hold your breath.
Broxton threw a mini-session this week indoors from approximately 45 feet, tossing the ball more than throwing it hard though. He'll gradually throw harder, longer, and from further distances over the next few weeks as team doctors monitor his progress.
"It's not unrealistic," said Stan Conte, director of medical services, "Start slow and build up. Hopefully everything's healed up at this point, because he doesn't have any symptoms. We're back to where we were as far as a throwing program."
Once fully recovered, he likely wouldn't be able to make a minor-league rehabilitation assignment due to the fact that Single-A Rancho Cucamonga's regular season ends September 14, while double-A Chattanooga and triple-A Albuquerque ends September 5. He'd work out with the Arizona rookie leaguers as his rehab assignment.
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