Duke baseball fans hoping for a quick recovery for star pitcher [autotag]Jonathan Santucci[/autotag] got some good news on Saturday.
The left-handed ace, who is currently rehabbing from a rib injury on his non-throwing side, warmed up in the bullpen ahead of the Blue Devils’ ACC Tournament semifinal against Miami. The team shared a video of him throwing and talking with teammates on social media before the game, which got pushed back due to a weather delay.
Santucci leads the Blue Devils with 12 starts this season, and his 56.0 innings pitched remain the most on the team despite the fact that he hasn’t thrown a pitch since May 5. His 3.54 ERA is the lowest among Duke pitchers with at least five starts and the third-lowest of any Blue Devil with 30 innings on the mound.
He’s struck out 86 batters and allowed 73 combined walks and hits (for a WHIP of 1.30), and opponents are batting just .189 against Santucci this season.
Things we love to see: Jonathan Santucci back throwing a 'pen pic.twitter.com/Ursgq7MVxN
— Duke Baseball (@DukeBASE) May 25, 2024
The lefty likely won’t play again until regional action, barring an effort for the ACC title game if Duke defeats the Hurricanes. But the warm-ups are a promising sign for his postseason availability.