Joel Zumaya (elbow) has begun a throwing program.

The hard-throwing setup man, who underwent right elbow surgery in May, is playing catch on a regular basis at the Tigers' spring training complex in Lakeland, Florida. Zumaya is hoping to be 100 percent healthy heading into spring training next February.

Joel Zumaya has yet to resume throwing after undergoing right elbow surgery in May.

To state the obvious, he will not return this season. Set to become a free agent for the first time in his career this winter, it's unclear if the Tigers intend to try and re-sign their supremely talented but injury prone right-hander, or let him walk.

Joel Zumaya (elbow) has acknowledged that he probably won't pitch this season.

At least, that's what Tigers trainer Kevin Rand told Jason Beck of MLB.com on Wednesday. Zumaya is scheduled to undergo exploratory elbow surgery next Tuesday.

Joel Zumaya will undergo exploratory surgery on his right elbow next Tuesday.

Zumaya originally intended to rehab the elbow for six weeks, but apparently something has changed. It would be presumptuous to speculate about a potential timetable for his return until the procedure is complete. There's no telling what they might find in there.

Joel Zumaya (elbow) has opted to rehab for six more weeks rather than have exploratory surgery.

He would almost surely have been out for the season had he gone under the knife. As it is, he'll still be out until late June at the earliest, and there's no guarantee he'll be pain-free following the rehab. Needless to say, the Tigers are hopeful but not really aren't counting on him this season.

Tigers transferred RHP Joel Zumaya to the 60-day disabled list.

Zumaya is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews later this week to get an update on the discomfort he's been experiencing in his surgically-repaired right elbow. There's a good chance 2011 will go down as another lost season for the hard-throwing setup man.

Joel Zumaya (elbow) will make a return visit to Dr. James Andrews early next week.

Zumaya felt elbow discomfort Thursday while trying to play a game of catch and that discomfort has now turned to "radiating pain," according to Tigers trainer Kevin Rand. There is obviously no timetable for his return.

Joel Zumaya's throwing program has been halted after he experienced discomfort in his right elbow during a session of catch Thursday.

Zumaya will be shut down for a few days, but the plan after that is up in the air. Team doctors and Dr. James Andrews have a conference call set up for Monday to discuss Zumaya's situation. It sounds ominous, but at this point we should expect it when it comes to the right-hander.

Cleared to begin a throwing program, Joel Zumaya (elbow) will check back in with Dr. James Andrews early next week.

"It's everything we could have hoped for," trainer Kevin Rand said. "(Joel) was given the OK to begin starting to play some catch, and we just have to see how it goes over the next almost a week. He'll be checking back with (Andrews) at the beginning of next week." Great news, but it still sounds like the earliest we could see Zumaya is the middle of next month. Don't hold your breath for a speedier than expected return.

Joel Zumaya (elbow) has been cleared to begin a throwing program.

Zumaya will start out with games of catch and eventually move on to bullpen sessions. He was placed on the disabled list before Opening Day after complaining of discomfort in his surgically-repaired right elbow. The Tigers are not laying out a timetable for his return.

Tigers placed RHP Joel Zumaya on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.

No surprise here. Zumaya has been sidelined since late February because of discomfort in his surgically-repaired elbow, but the Tigers are hopeful he could begin throwing as soon as next week. He'll obviously be handled with care right now, so there's no clear timetable for his return.

Joel Zumaya (elbow) will be officially placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.

Zumaya has been sidelined since late-February to inflammation in his surgically-repaired elbow. He's currently working on a strengthening program and the Tigers are hopeful that he could begin throwing as soon as next week. "He's doing very well," said Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand. "His range of motion has improved. His strength has improved. We've worked into a pain-free range, and so we're comfortable that hopefully next Monday we'll get the go-ahead to begin throwing again." The hard-throwing right-hander will likely need to make appearances in extended spring training or go out on a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced Tuesday that Joel Zumaya (elbow) will not be ready for Opening Day.

It should come as no surprise. Zumaya hasn't thrown a baseball in about a week because of lingering discomfort in the area of his surgically-repaired elbow and probably won't resume throwing for another several days. The Tigers are hoping that he will be able to contribute by the end of April. Carlos Guillen (knee) has also been ruled out for the opener.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Joel Zumaya (elbow) is feeling better and "may not be (out) as long as (he) could have been."

Zumaya is dealing with inflammation in his elbow, and while the Tigers aren't expecting him to be ready for Opening Day, he's making progress and according to Tigers trainer Kevin Rand is "totally pain-free and has good strength." The reliever should be ready sometime in April assuming he has no setbacks.

Tom Gage of the Detroit News suspects that Joel Zumaya (elbow) won't be ready for Opening Day.

Gage is hearing that Zumaya has been shut down for the next two weeks -- not one -- due to ongoing soreness in his throwing elbow. That will not leave the hard-throwing right-hander with enough time to get warmed up for regular season games and could mean that he is placed on the 15-day disabled list when camp breaks.

No structural damage was found in Joel Zumaya's elbow during a run of tests Monday.

Zumaya even consulted with Dr. James Andrews to get to the bottom of his sudden elbow pain. Andrews recommended that the right-hander sit idle for the next week and then test his arm again. It's possible now that he won't be ready for the start of the regular season.

Joel Zumaya went for a second opinion on his surgically-repaired elbow Monday.

"We'll have specifics (Tuesday)," Tigers trainer Kevin Rand said. "He was followed up on (by outside doctors)." The Tigers originally expected Zumaya to only miss a few days, but continued soreness made the club send him for an MRI. The injury-prone right-hander is currently working his way back from surgery to repair a fractured elbow last July.

Joel Zumaya has undergone an MRI on his elbow.

Zumaya hasn't thrown a baseball in camp since feeling pain in the area of his surgically-repaired elbow on February 27. The Tigers have reviewed his MRI results but have not commented on them at this point. Word is they might be trying to get a second opinion. This is all a bit frightening for the injury-prone fireballer.

Joel Zumaya is expected to miss a day or two after scar tissue broke around his surgically-repaired right elbow.

Nothing to worry about. In fact, it was something that was expected to happen eventually. The scar tissue resulted in some inflammation in the elbow, but an MRI didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary. "We checked it out, and there was nothing more than a little inflammation," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. The hard-throwing right-hander should be back on the mound in the next few days.

Zumaya made it through his first inning of the spring unscathed, allowing one hit and inducing three flyball outs in a scoreless fifth.

"I felt great," Zumaya said. "I threw the ball well. I was around the zone. I threw some decent breaking balls." It was his first live action since breaking his elbow last June. The injury-plagued reliever has not pitched more than 40 innings in a season since 2006.