Joakim Soria injury: Royals RP throws for first time since Tommy John surgery

Some good news on the tail end of another long, disappointing year for Kansas City Royals fans came on Tuesday when reliever Joakim Soria threw a baseball for the first time since having reconstructive Tommy John surgery on April 13. Soria threw a ball 25 times from a distance of 45 feet.

Soria has been going through rehab in Surprise, Ariz., since his surgery. The Royals' closer has been one of the few bright spots for the team over the last few seasons, racking up 160 saves from 2007-2011 with a 2.40 ERA. He made the All-Star team in 2008 and 2010.

The Royals hold an $8 million option for Soria for 2013.

The Kansas City Royals' season will end on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. At 72-89, it'll be yet another season without a postseason berth for a team that hasn't seen the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1985.