Joel Bender missed the entire 2016 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The big left hander also missed out on the first half of the 2017 season. After surgery and rehab, Bender would return to the mound in a game on July 7th with the Arizona League Reds. It had been nearly two full years since his last time in a game, which came in early September of 2015.
After just three rehab outings in Goodyear for the rookie level Reds, Joel Bender was sent to Daytona to join the Tortugas bullpen. His first outing at Jackie Robinson Ballpark did not go well. The Cincinnati native allowed two earned and was charged with four more unearned in 0.2 innings. He also allowed four hits and walked two batters. Welcome back, Joel.
Four days later he would take the mound and he didn’t look back. In the 15 games through the rest of the season, he only allowed earned runs in one game. The left handed reliever was dominant over 16.1 innings where he posted a 1.10 ERA. That also came along with just three walks and 21 strikeouts. Joel Bender had allowed just two doubles and one home run in that stretch, too.
He had plenty of success in his 2017, but it was in limited action at a level that he had previously played at before his injury occurred. To get more action for Joel Bender, the Reds sent the recently turned 25-year-old to the Arizona Fall League. Last night he completed his third outing for Scottsdale. He threw 2.0 perfect innings with two strikeouts. That lowered his ERA to 1.80 in his 5.0 innings pitched where he’s struck out five batters.