Tennessee right-handed pitcher AJ Russell made his season debut against North Alabama 257 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the middle of last year’s NCAA Tournament.
But Russell has not thrown in the 12 days and eight games since making his return. Meeting with the media following the Vols’ 13-2 run-rule victory over St. Bonaventure, Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello explained why.
“It was a deal where AJ’s an abnormal kid and he got ahead of that program quicker than the average guy,” Vitello said. “AJ just leapfrogged too many things. And so I think it’s time for everybody that’s involved to take a deep breath, have a conversation and say, he showed what he can do. … I think it’s kind of take a deep breath recalibrate mode and kind of start a new throwing program to prepare more to be a starter as opposed to, he came in the other day and just got three outs.”
Russell looked sharp in his debut against North Alabama, striking out the side on 17 pitches while his fastball was 95 mph or higher four times.
But while Tennessee is slowing Russell down, the most important note is that the right-handed pitcher has had no setbacks.
“Zero,” Vitello said on if there were setbacks. “Not even close, the opposite. No setbacks, got going too fast and so hold your horses.”
Tennessee is treating Russell’s return with an abundance of caution which is not abnormal for the program. But it particularly makes sense in Russell’s case because of how much starting and stopping he did a season ago while also being a potential first round draft pick.
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When could we see Russell back on the mound?
“I would think more getting into April as we get into those last two months of the season,” Vitello said. “I think looking at those months of April and May, I think that makes more sense with kind of the pow wow that was had again, just with all parties involved.”
The first half of SEC play was the original target date for Russell to throw in a game and the first two weeks of April matches that. What will be interesting about the junior returning in April is how built up he is. Vitello mentioned getting him on a throwing plan to be a starter when he comes back.
And Tennessee still has a starting spot open. Liam Doyle has been stellar on Friday nights for Tennessee and Marcus Phillips has locked down the Saturday job. But the Vols have started four different pitchers the first four Sundays of the season with most being no more than an opener.
“I think it’d probably be lying or trying to twist words to say you wouldn’t want to know each weekend exactly what it looks like,” Vitello said on Sunday pitching uncertainty. “But at the same time, we proved last year in my opinion, that you can kind of treat it like a puzzle. Not just the coaches but the players. … If you have the right pieces, while it may not be mapped out as well as some other teams, you can maybe feel like you’re in a little better spot than other teams, or a little wealthier or having an abundance of options.”
Tennessee baseball faces West Georgia on Tuesday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium before opening up SEC play next weekend against Florida.
