Updates on Dylan Bundy, Branden Kline and Brian Gonzalez

Orioles pitching prospect Dylan Bundy threw another 20-pitch bullpen session today in Sarasota and continued to make significant progress.

Bundy also threw 20 pitches on Wednesday, his first time on a mound since May in Trenton. The Orioles are limiting him to only fastballs before mixing in the changeup and breaking ball.

Dr. James Andrews cleared Bundy last month to start a throwing program after he was shut down with discomfort caused by calcification in the Teres minor muscle behind his right shoulder. He's currently on a three-week progression.

bundy-throwing-sidebar.jpg"He threw the ball extremely well, free and easy," said Brian Graham, the organization's director of player development. "The ball is coming out of his hand real good. We don't have a radar gun, but his velocity is good. We're obviously not using a radar gun on purpose, for a reason, but the ball's coming out of his hand very well and he feels great."

The Orioles must decide whether to let Bundy face hitters or shut him down again. He could pitch winter ball. Workouts already have started with the Arizona Fall League team, so the Orioles must figure out soon if he's taking that route.

"We'd like for him to get further down the road before we made a decision like that," Graham said.

Bundy will throw another bullpen session on Monday.

The Orioles have an open spot on the Peoria roster in the Arizona Fall League after Hunter Harvey was shut down with tightness in his right elbow.

As MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski reported earlier, Branden Kline underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery yesterday on his right elbow after being examined by Andrews and Orioles team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs.

"It went well," Graham said. "From a timing standpoint, it's good because you're hoping he'll be back near the end of next year, and have an entire offseason to rest and come back great the following year."

Kline, 24, went 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA in eight starts for Double-A Bowie. He didn't pitch after May 20.

Brian Gonzalez, the Orioles' third-round pick in 2014 out of Archbishop McCarthy (Fla.) High School, threw his final bullpen session today in Sarasota before flying home.

"He threw the ball well," Graham said. "He was feeling fatigued at the end of the year and we didn't want to push him through it. We wanted to make sure he was healthy. He is."

Gonzalez went 4-9 with a 5.71 ERA in 23 starts at low Single-A Delmarva.




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