Tigers GM: Rondon should be ready for start of spring training

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila said Saturday that Bruce Rondon should be ready for the start of spring training despite recently contracting the chikungunya virus - the latest in a series of dispiriting developments for the 25-year-old who was told not to attend his club's winter caravan tour for precautionary reasons.

"It was more of a precaution to keep him (at home), because he's still not 100 percent ready to go," Avila told reporters. "But from everything our doctors are telling me, he should have no issues in spring training."

Though Rondon made it back to the big leagues last summer following a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery, his return wasn't exactly triumphant. After stumbling to a 5.81 ERA in 35 appearances for the Tigers (which, in fairness, belied some encouraging peripheral stats), Rondon was sent home in September "because of his effort level" before making headlines months later for instigating a brawl in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Rondon, whose once unparalleled velocity didn't fully return after surgery, looked good pitching sporadically in Venezuela, according to Avila.

"He wasn't pitching a lot, just as needed, but he said he did well and was working hard and there were no issues," the GM said. "Unfortunately, there at the end, he got into a bit of a brawl by hitting somebody, but that happens in baseball."

Regarded earlier in his professional career as a future closer, Rondon likely won't get a chance to compete for save opportunities this season following Detroit's acquisitions of Mark Lowe and six-time All-Star Francisco Rodriguez. Rondon, who owns a career 4.68 ERA with a 24.7-percent strikeout rate since his 2013 debut, could instead open the season in a low-leverage role in the Tigers' bullpen.