Jonny Venters suffers torn ligament in elbow; Tommy John surgery possible
By Brad Rowland
For the third time in his career, Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jonny Venters has suffered a torn ligament in his left (pitching) elbow.
Jonny Venters MRI revealed that he re-tore ligament in elbow. No word on next step but a third Tommy John is an option. #Braves
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) August 28, 2014
As Kevin McAlpin of 680 the Fan notes above, Venters would likely need a third Tommy John surgery in order to continue pitching at the Major League level, and with the hiccups in attempting a comeback from a second procedure, that is anything but a sure thing. Just two days ago, the Braves elected to shut Venters down from his throwing program amid reports of elbow soreness, but this is the worst case scenario for the former All-Star reliever.
The now 29-year-old Venters produced back to back seasons with an ERA of 2.00 or below in 2010 and 2011, and at one point, there was legitimate controversy between Venters and Craig Kimbrel as the “closer of the future” with Atlanta. This is devastating news for the prospects of a continued and prosperous career for Jonny Venters, but until further information is uncovered, we will refrain from additional speculation.
Stay tuned for the latest on his outlook.