Ryan Madson threw off a mound yesterday for the first time since his comeback from Tommy John surgery was shut down on February 1 when he experienced elbow soreness.
Madson threw 20 pitches and afterward told Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times that “it was just nice and easy, just to get back up on the hill.”
However, those 20 pitches were all fastballs and Madson was throwing at less than full effort, so he’s all but guaranteed to begin the season on the disabled list and the Angels figure to go with Ernesto Frieri as their Opening Day closer.