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An eight-year veteran with Detroit, former Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman revealed to Buster Olney of ESPN.com on Sunday that he is fully preparing a comeback attempt in 2013.
Now 30 years old, Bonderman last pitched for the Tigers in 2010, a year when he finished 8-10 with a woeful 5.53 ERA over 29 starts for Jim Leyland's club. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery last April and initially planned on making a comeback in 2013 if his body would allow. After reportedly dropping 35 pounds in his training sessions, Bonderman is fully confident he'll be able to regain his velocity.
While he remains hopeful he can earn another major league contract, Bonderman will surely face long odds to find a spot at the big-league level in Detroit organization. The veteran pitcher informed Olney that he wants to audition his arm for any interested teams at some point in January, but believes that his rigorous rehab schedule could speed up his timetable.
"I think I could be ready before then," Bonderman said. "We'll see what happens."