FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins reliever Glen Perkins threw his first bullpen session since undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in late June, and reported no issues on Tuesday.
Perkins was scheduled to throw off a mound on Friday, but pushed it back four days after feeling some discomfort in his rotator cuff on Thursday. But after working on his rotator cuff over the weekend with the help of athletic trainer Lanning Tucker, Perkins said he felt much better on Monday and threw a 15-pitch bullpen session without any problems on Tuesday. It was his first time on a mound since leaving his appearance on April 10 with his shoulder injury.
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"I felt good," Perkins said. "That's a good first step. After not feeling like I could do that Friday to feeling like I could push it today is exciting. I was pretty down on Thursday, when I had to tell Lanning I wasn't going to throw a 'pen. But he got to work on it, and it got better quick."
Perkins didn't realize the extent his rotator cuff had been an issue while throwing in recent weeks until it was diagnosed that there was some soreness in the teres minor muscle in the back of his shoulder near his armpit. But after he threw on Monday and felt better, he realized what he had been dealing with while throwing in recent weeks.
"It was bothering me longer than I thought. I thought it was just part of rehab but it lingered about a month or so. I forgot what it felt like to feel good. Yesterday was the first time I threw, and it felt like it was supposed to. Now it's about continuing arm strength."
Perkins is scheduled to take a day off throwing before throwing long toss on flat ground again on Thursday. He'll throw another bullpen on Friday or Saturday, but said he's taking it one step at a time, as he got too far ahead of himself trying to plan his first bullpen, only to see it pushed back a few days.
"I don't want to get too far ahead," Perkins said. "I started to think about that bullpen a week ahead, and I don't want to do that anymore. I anticipate throwing my next bullpen and then go from there."