For the first time since March 28, Drew Smyly threw a baseball off a pitcher’s mound … sort of.
After warming up and playing long toss on Thursday afternoon, Smyly, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre and bullpen catcher Fleming Baez headed to the bullpen for a brief session of throwing. Smyly threw about 15 pitches — a controlled beginning to the process. He wasn’t throwing from the official pitching rubber, but just below it.
“I only got halfway up the mound so I wouldn’t call it a bullpen, but just working downhill and we are scheduled for our first bullpen on Saturday.