Rays' Jonny Venters: Returns to Tampa Bay

Venters inked a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Rays on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Venters had spent the last two seasons within the Rays' organization, and will return to the club with a new minor-league deal for 2018. During the past year, he was busy recovering from another Tommy John surgery, which only allowed him to pitch a total of 23.2 innings between four minor-league affiliates. The 32-year-old is attempting to return from the third such surgery of his career. He last pitched in the big leagues in 2012 with the Braves.