MIAMI -- The news was seemingly all positive following Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani's second start on a rehab assignment. On the mound Saturday for Class A Dayton's game at Fort Wayne, Ind., DeSclafani threw four scoreless innings on 46 pitches with two hits, no walks and six strikeouts.
"Four great innings, a lot of strikes, he used all of his pitches and then finished up with 10-15 additional pitches in the bullpen," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. "He was pretty pitch efficient, it looked like."
DeSclafani has been out all season for the Reds since he sustained a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow during Spring Training.
Reports from Dayton showed that DeSclafani was reaching 95 mph with his fastball.
"He's been up in that mid 95-96 range in his two outings so far. The arm strength is definitely there," Price said.
Speaking to the Journal Gazette newspaper in Fort Wayne after the game, DeSclafani also provided positive feedback about his start.
"I was happy with some fastball command and some secondary stuff," DeSclafani said. "If something's bothering me, I would let them know, but tonight was pretty good."
DeSclafani is slated to pitch again on Wednesday for Dayton, and he will likely get to the five-inning, 75-pitch benchmark.
"I just want to build my tolerance up. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel here," DeSclafani told the Journal Gazette.
The Reds can have DeSclafani spend up to 30 days on the rehab assignment, but there was a buffer area built into the plan.
"Right now, the plan is not to take the full 30 days, but there is room to keep him pitching in the Minor Leagues if that's necessary," Price said.
Feldman throws in bullpen
Another injured starting pitcher, Scott Feldman, tested his right knee on Saturday by throwing a bullpen session in Cincinnati.
"It went well. I got a nice text from him," Price said. "They filmed it and sent the video to Mack [Jenkins, the Reds' pitching coach]. It was just a test flight. I don't think it had the same rigor as it would if he was warming up for a game or in-between starts. But he'll come to Pittsburgh and throw another side during the Pirates series. I'm sure it will be something more aggressive."
Whether or not Feldman gets a rehab assignment has yet to be determined. He has been on the 10-day disabled list since July 18, the day after he lasted one inning in a start against the Nationals.
"I think he's been able to keep his arm in relatively good shape," Price said. "The decision will be what's the best vehicle to give him that final test flight? Is it, does he get through that bullpen in Pittsburgh? Is it live BP or a simulated game on the field? Or does he go someplace and pitch a few innings just to verify his knee is OK? We'll have to do something to challenge his knee a bit more than simply a bullpen before we activate him."