ST. PETERSBURG -- Left-hander Jonny Venters tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm in his attempt to come back from a third Tommy John surgery, per his agent BB Abbott.
Venters hadn't pitched in the Majors since 2012, and he made his first professional appearance since then in early June with Class A Advanced Charlotte. He's been with the Rays' organization for the past two seasons, and he had hopes of pitching in Tampa Bay this season.
Abbott said that Venters, who's been on the disabled list since June 20, still hasn't decided what his future holds.
Venters led the Majors in appearances (85) in 2011 with the Atlanta Braves, when he was an All-Star setup man behind closer Craig Kimbrel. He has undergone two Tommy John surgeries since '12, in addition to the one he had in '05.
"I don't in any way feel bad for myself," Venters said in early June. "I've been fortunate enough to hang around for this long. If I get to play any longer, it's just icing on the cake."