 |
 |
|
|
Mariano Rivera Expected to Start Throwing Next Week
Yankees closer says he’s at 95%, expects to be at full-strength by start of season
Yankees’ closer Mariano Rivera last threw in a Major-League baseball game on April 30 of last year against the Baltimore Orioles. Just a few days later, Rivera would be facing possible career-ending surgery on his right knee after tearing his ACL while shagging ground balls in the outfield of Kansas City’s Kaufman Stadium. The recovery was expected to take at least a full year, but Rivera has progressed faster than doctors had hoped, and is ready to begin a throwing program during the week of January 13 th and will be ready to take the field with the ball club on Opening Day provided that there are no major setbacks.
Rivera is now 43-years old and is coming back to the Yankees on a one-year deal worth reportedly $10 million. There are incentives that could sweeten the deal more if the man regarded as the best closer in baseball is able to stay healthy and pitch the ball club to another World Series. Rivera was limited to just 8 1/3 innings of baseball in 2012, but managed to record 5 saves during that time period. His career ERA of 2.21 makes him a hot commodity regardless of his age, and if he pitches well in 2013, it is highly likely that a team will take a chance on him for 2014 if the Yankees allow him to walk away in free agency. Rivera has not hinted that he is ready to retire after this season, and could command a hefty price tag as a free agent even if he has a bit of an off year coming back from his injury.
By: Robert Gonzalez
MLBCenter.com Senior Staff Writer
> View all of the MLB baseball news articles from ProBaseball-fans.com.
Advertisement