May 13, 2008 Rafael Soriano threw a 10-minute bullpen session that included sliders and fastballs and reported no pain in his elbow, according to MLB.com. Soriano will look to throw a simulated game on Friday or Saturday, and if that goes well he will likely be sent on a brief minor league assignment.
Our View:Soriano could be back by next weekend, about a week before the team hopes to have John Smoltz back in action at which point it is assumed that Soriano will become the setup man with Smoltz taking over closing duties.
May 12, 2008 Rafael Soriano threw a 10-minute bullpen session on Sunday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His elbow wasn't perfect, but it felt better than his previous sessions. He is recovering from right elbow tendinitis.
Our View:He'll probably throw again Tuesday in the bullpen at Philadelphia, then a decision will be made on the next step. Manager Bobby Cox said he would need to throw at least one inning, presumably in a minor league game, so that the Braves could have assurances before they send down someone to free up a roster spot for Soriano.
May 10, 2008 Rafael Soriano is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also played catch Friday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Our View:This will be the closer's first big test for his right elbow since an MRI and bone scan revealed no structural damage.
May 7, 2008 The Atlanta Braves report closer Rafael Soriano's right elbow appears to be fine, suffering no tears or other structural damage, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Our View:Soriano underwent a MRI exam today which revealed no significant concerns, excellent news for the Braves. Soriano is expected to resume throwing exercises, but the team has put no timetable on his expected return. Soriano has been on the DL since April 9th with what was originally diagnosed as elbow tendinitis. However, the lack of progress over recent weeks led the Braves to push Soriano into further testing, fearing the worst. "That was a great relief," said manager Frank Wren. "What we were really trying to do was rule out a compromised ligament or stress fracture. So that was good news."
May 6, 2008 Rafael Soriano will undergo an MRI and other testing on Wednesday to help figure out what's wrong with his right elbow. "We're going to see if we can get to the bottom of it," general manager Frank Wren tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It just hasn't seem to improve much."
Our View:Lingering soreness stories never seem to turn out well. We'll continue to update Soriano's status, but between this elbow injury and John Smoltz's plans, this closer has lost a ton of value.
