GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds are giving Bronson Arroyo a chance to find out whether he can still pitch more than two years after Tommy John surgery derailed his career.
The right-hander signed a minor league deal on Monday as pitchers and catchers reported. Arroyo hasn’t pitched in the majors since his operation in 2014. He signed a minor league deal with Washington last year but had elbow problems again.
“My arm is as good as it gets after grinding for two and a half years to get to this point,” said Arroyo, who turns 40 on Feb. 24.
Arroyo started his career with Pittsburgh and pitched for Boston from 2003-05. He was a mainstay in the Reds’ rotation from 2006-13. He signed with Arizona and had elbow surgery a year later.
The Reds could use another starter with Homer Bailey recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow last week. Bailey also has struggled to recover from Tommy John surgery in 2015. Arroyo is open to pitching in long relief if there’s no spot in the rotation.
Arroyo welcomed the chance to see if he can extend his career.
“It’s good to be in a place with familiar faces,” said Arroyo, who had Reds manager Bryan Price as his pitching coach in Cincinnati. “You don’t have to prove as much. They know what you can do.”
Price watched Arroyo throw in the bullpen and was encouraged.
“We just want to see if he’s healthy,” Price said. “He will write his own story.”