Kuhl rejoins Bucs, optimistic about rehab

Kuhl undergoes elbow surgery PITTSBURGH -- In the back of his mind, Chad Kuhl knew Tommy John surgery might be the solution to the pain in his right elbow. The initial stages of his recovery went well enough, however, that he remained optimistic over the past two months.

But during a flat-ground throwing session at Busch Stadium on Sept. 11, Kuhl said he "knew that it was time." His arm didn't feel any worse than it had before, but the pain lingered. He wasn't able to throw his scheduled bullpen session. In that moment, frustrating as it may have been, Kuhl found a kind of peace.

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"I had that clarity that this is my next step. I'm ready to attack it," Kuhl said Saturday,…