Hanshin Tigers team president Toshihiro Makita said Monday he will send the club's trainer to the United States to check on the progress of Hanshin lefty reliever Jeff Williams, who is rehabilitating from surgery on his left knee.
Makita said he will make a decision on when to have Williams rejoin the Central League club after the trainer, who leaves for the United States on Thursday, can confirm the condition of his knee after undergoing surgery on March 2.
Williams was originally expected to be sidelined for at least three months until the end of interleague play in late June but has apparently already begun bullpen training.
The 33-year-old Australian went 3-3 with a 2.11 earned run average in 75 games last season, adding depth to the bullpen with fellow setup man Kyuji Fujikawa and closer Tomoyuki Kubota to help Hanshin win the league title.
He had knee surgery in the off-season but the delay in recovery from the injury prompted him to go under the knife for the second time in four months in March.