Spencer Turnbull pitched a no-hitter on May 19, 2021, in the Detroit Tigers’ 5-0 American League victory over the Seattle Mariners. But the former Alabama standout has pitched in only three games since.

On Thursday at the Tigers’ spring-training facility in Lakeland, Florida, Turnbull pitched against batters for the first time in 629 days as he faced some of his Detroit teammates in live batting practice.

“This was a big step for me today,” Turnbull told Evan Woodbery of mlive.com afterward. “… I threw a lot of high-intensity bullpens in the offseason, but I hadn’t faced a hitter in forever. …

“I was definitely a little nervous. I felt like a baby deer out there.”

Turnbull has been out of action since leaving his start against the Chicago White Sox on June 4, 2021, because of forearm soreness in his pitching arm. With the injury initially diagnosed as muscular, Turnbull started a throwing program a few weeks later. But when inflammation returned in his forearm, another examination revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Spencer underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2022 season.

“I’ve tried to keep that same confidence I had right before the injury coming out of it,” Turnbull said, “so it’s kind of a fresh start, a new version of me, whatever it’s going to be. I’m excited to see what I can do. …

“I’m just real excited to face hitters again, get in games again, get those adrenaline rushes again. It’s been a while.”

Returning to the routine activities of preparing for the 2023 Major League season in spring training isn’t something that Turnbull is taking for granted.

“It’s been almost two years since I’ve been able to be around the guys, like really be feeling like I’m ready to compete, and it’s just an awesome feeling,” Turnbull said. “The other day, I threw my bullpen, and that was the first time I felt like I’m back. It’s a really good feeling. I’m just really grateful for it.”

All the down time and rehab work comes with a psychological element, too, Turnbull said.

“It’s been tough, for sure,” Turnbull said. “There were a lot of hard moments. A lot of, I don’t know, just fear and anxiety of how long it would take to get back, if I would get back, what I would be like when I got back. There’s a lot of mental battles you go through.

“Kind of feels like a second start, a second chance to my career.”

The Tigers start their spring-training schedule when the Philadelphia Phillies visit Lakeland for a Grapefruit League game at 11:05 a.m. CST Saturday.

Detroit will start its regular-season schedule on March 31 on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tigers open their 2023 home slate on April 6, when the Boston Red Sox visit Comerica Park.

“I expect it’ll be pretty emotional for me,” Turnbull said about pitching in Detroit again. “But I’m kind of just like taking it one day at time. Just all the normal cliches. Don’t let the moment get too big, getting healthier and just preparing yourself for that moment.”

In two seasons at Alabama, Turnbull had a 9-10 record with a 2.95 earned-run average in 30 starts. In 183.1 innings, he struck out 112 and yielded 153 hits and 85 walks. Turnbull left the Crimson Tide after the Tigers chose him in the second round of the 2014 draft.

Turnbull reached the big leagues late in the 2018 season. In 54 MLB games, with 53 starts, Turnbull has an 11-25 record with a 4.25 ERA. In 271.1 innings, he has struck out 256 and yielded 255 hits and 104 walks.

Turnbull pitched in four games in 2018 and had a 6.06 ERA. In 2019, he made 30 starts with a 4.61 ERA. During the coronavirus pandemic-affected 2020 season, Turnbull had a 3.97 ERA in 11 starts. Before getting hurt in 2021, he had a 2.88 ERA in nine starts.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.