Tennessee Baseball’s Thursday night injury report ahead of Florida series

Tennessee baseball listed two players as OUT on the season’s first Southeastern Conference student-athlete availability report.

Junior right-handed pitcher AJ Russell was listed as OUT as he continues working back from offseason Tommy John surgery. The potential first-rounder made his initial return on February 26, making the midweek one-inning start against North Alabama with a clean 1-2-3 frame.  

It was a deal where AJ’s an abnormal kid and he got ahead of that program quicker than the average guy,” skipper Tony Vitello said of Russell last week. “So, I think it’s time for everybody that’s involved to take a deep breath, have a conversation and say, ‘he showed what he can do’. We feel good about the throwing program and the protocol, but let’s take a deep breath and look out for the long run of what we’re trying to do with our season and his career combined.”

Transfer Alberto Osuna, who is still fighting for his eligibility this season, is also listed as OUT and will not be available this weekend.

Sophomore lefty Andrew Behnke has made one appearance this season against Hofstra during Opening Weekend where he pitched a clean inning of relief. He does not appear on the report, thus meaning he’s available.

“He’s [Behnke] thrown off the mound,” Vitello said on Sunday. “The old song and dance you guys don’t like to hear. I guess if the world was coming to an end and he needed to go get a hitter, he certainly can do that. But we’d like to go through a sequence and it’s kind like last year with a couple of our guys.”

Florida listed second baseman Cade Kurland as OUT, pitcher Frank Menendez as OUT, pitcher Pierce Coppola as OUT and outfielder Kyle Jones as OUT.

No. 2 Tennessee (17-0) is off to the best start in program history while currently leading the country in home runs, OPS, slugging percentage, ERA and WHIP. The Vols are second in the nation in runs per game, on-base percentage, walks drawn, strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts per nine innings.

The No. 7 Gators (16-2) started 11-0 before dropping back-to-back decisions against Miami (Sunday) and UCF (Tuesday) in midweek road action. Since, Florida has won five-straight, including a 7-2 win at previously unbeaten Florida State on Tuesday night.

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