ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Injured AL Cy Young Award winner David Price says he is making progress but is not ready to start a minor league rehab assignment.
The Tampa Bay Rays left-hander went on the disabled list for the first time in his career May 16 with a strained left triceps.
Price threw 54 pitches in his first simulated game Thursday, and there was some consideration of having him pitch in a minor league game Tuesday. It was decided after Price threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Saturday with what was called spring training soreness that he would have another mound session Tuesday.
“It’s not a setback,” Price said Sunday. “It’s just like after you throw your first live BP in spring training. You get that hitter in the box — you give that extra how many per cent that you had that you usually don’t get in the bullpen, and that’s the way I felt yesterday.”
The Rays are hopeful that Price could rejoin the rotation in early July.
“Definitely the way that I feel today, if you asked if I would have felt this good today, I would have been like there’s no chance,” Price said. “My entire arm was sore yesterday, and that’s just because I’m getting out there and facing those hitters after not doing it for a month.”
Price struggled this year before getting hurt, going 1-4 with a 5.24 ERA. He was 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA in 2012.