Jordan Walden to rejoin Braves' bullpen Friday

The Atlanta Braves have lost several late-inning relievers this year, most to season-ending injuries, including Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters. Luckily for Atlanta, this isn't the case with right-hander Jordan Walden, who's set to return from his thumb injury on Friday, according to Eric Single of MLB.com. Yesterday, Walden told reporters that the bruise he suffered when he took a line drive off his thumb has been progressing well. He could still feel discomfort in his thumb when he played catch Tuesday, saying the thumb continued to be sore. However, manager Fredi Gonzalez told reporters that with the progress Walden has made he wouldn't be surprised if the right-hander is available for the Braves' entire upcoming weekend series. "We'll see where he's at today, but he's progressing real well," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's available the whole weekend." The Braves have been using right-hander David Carpenter to bridge the gap to Craig Kimbrel in Walden's absence. They'll be happy to get Walden back, as he's proven extremely solid since coming over from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Tommy Hanson this offseason. Over 43 appearances, the 25-year-old has posted an ERA and WHIP of 2.50 and 1.059. Follow @mlbinjurynews Looking for fantasy baseball advice?