Cervenka now on other side of field from team that revived his career

ATLANTA — Hunter Cervenka wasn’t a Brave for long — under contract for a little more than a year, in the majors for less than four months — but in the story of the left-handed reliever’s career, Atlanta is as important an organization as any.

Two years ago, Cervenka was 25, freshly released by the Cubs and “in a dark place” professionally. He went home to the greater Houston area and signed with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters.

Just a couple of weeks later, the Braves came calling to offer Cervenka another chance — perhaps a last chance, if it didn’t go well — in affiliated ball.

“At that point, I was in a bad state of mind,” Cervenka said. “Struggling like I was, coming off a pretty decent year before that [2014], being 25, 26 and doing it since I was 18 out of high school, I’d kind of been burnt out a little bit I guess.”

Cervenka played well in the upper minors the rest of the summer, and by mid-April 2016 was a big leaguer for the first time. Career, revived. The Marlins acquired him from the Braves last August — a year ago Sunday.

Appropriately and coincidentally, Cervenka is back in Atlanta this weekend, again a part of the Miami bullpen, albeit playing in a stadium he had never before visited, SunTrust Park, the Braves’ first-year home. Cervenka’s trade last year came a couple of days before the Braves players’ scheduled visit to an under-construction SunTrust, and the Marlins’ first series here this year came while Cervenka was with Triple-A New Orleans, where he has spent most of the season.

Cervenka, disappointed coming out of spring training by a return to the minors, struggled early with New Orleans. A heart-to-heart with Triple-A manager Arnie Beyeler about “life, changing mindset and going about things

differently,” Cervenka said, helped him turn it around.

A 2.84 ERA over a month and a half preceded his call-up late last month. With the Marlins, Cervenka heading into the Braves series had two good outings (six strikeouts, no hits in 3 2⁄3 innings) and one bad one (three runs, no outs recorded).

For Cervenka and a handful of other Miami relievers, the rest of the season effectively amounts to an audition for jobs next year. Cervenka’s is off to a solid start.

“For the most part good, and actually has been OK with the righties, too,” manager Don Mattingly said of Cervenka. “It’s been a nice, I shouldn’t say surprise, but … him being able to get the righty out is good, just so I can use him for an inning when I have to.” Volquez has surgery

Right-hander Edinson Volquez had Tommy John surgery Friday to repair the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. The Marlins said it went well. Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the Reds’ medical director who performed Volquez’s first Tommy John surgery in 2009, performed this one as well in Cincinnati.

Volquez, 34, will return to Miami Sunday and begin therapy Monday. He will miss at least a year.

“He’s a little older, too. It puts him in a different spot,” Mattingly said. “I thought he was in good spirits around the ball club. He wasn’t down in any big way.”

Recuperating righties

Right-hander Kyle Barraclough (shoulder impingement) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Friday. He’ll throw another Monday.

The Marlins’ other injured righty reliever, Nick Wittgren ,is still experiencing symptoms of his elbow strain and has not resumed baseball activities.