Seattle Mariners pitcher Ryan Anderson was on the field in Peoria, Ariz., Thursday, a day before official spring training began, to continue to work on his injured left shoulder.
There’s no way he’ll be with the Mariners on Opening Day, he said.
Anderson, 22, a 6-foot-11 southpaw, tore his rotator cuff last spring and underwent surgery March 6. He spent most of last season in Arizona recovering.
On Thursday, he went through some light conditioning that included 20 minutes of long-toss with pitching coach Bryan Price.
“It feels real good. No pain right now,” Anderson said.
“I’m not 100 percent, not even close. I’m about 70 percent, but it’s moving along quick now. I just want to get healthy, get back in the game no matter where I play whether it’s rookie ball, A-ball or something, so I can compete.”
Anderson began throwing again at the end of June and got back on the mound for fall instructional league, which ran from mid-September through October.
Price said the team doesn’t want to rush him, but there’s a spot for him in the bullpen.
“He can help us this year. There’s a glaring opportunity in the bullpen for a left-handed guy, for him to get his feet wet and really help the ballclub,” Price said. “With Ryan Anderson and his ability, we’re going to create a spot when he’s ready to pitch in the big leagues. … But in the same respect, you don’t want to rush the guy and create a chronic injury situation. We won’t do that.”
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