PHOENIX -- Brewers left-hander Chris Capuano has not given up on pitching again before the end of the season.
Capuano had a followup appointment in Mesa, Ariz., on Friday with the doctor who performed a platelet-rich plasma injection in Capuano's ailing left elbow 3 1/2 weeks ago. The joint is nearly pain-free, said Capuano, who has begun doing upper-body exercises and hopes to be throwing again within two weeks.
The problem is Capuano's flexor tendon, not his ulnar collateral ligament, but it's nonetheless a "significant" injury, he said. Capuano has twice undergone Tommy John surgery to repair his UCL.
"I had never had a PRP (platelet-rich plasma injection) in the joint like that and what I learned about it is it's a little bit different than getting it in your muscle," he said. "It is a four- to six-week recovery from that. It really was pretty stiff. They get in there with that needle and they're sticking it into your UCL and your flexor -- essentially just poking holes in there, which causes a big inflammation response, which is what they want because they want your body to bring all of its healing cells to that area.
"So it was pretty stiff for two weeks, and just this past week it started to loosen up. I'd been doing a lot of pool work, [rehab with a] rice bucket. Finally, I feel like I'm turning a corner, so that's good. … I'd love to come back for the last two-three weeks, whatever it is, and just feel strong and healthy. From a mental standpoint, that'd be fantastic if I could accomplish that."
Capuano, who turns 38 on Aug. 19, will be a free agent again following the season.
"I'm at peace with whatever happens," he said. "It's either going to come back and be strong, or it's not. I was pretty down for a couple weeks there when it wasn't feeling good. But now that it's feeling good, I'm starting to feel strong and I'm starting to feel a lot more optimistic."