Broxton, Mesoraco nearing returns to Reds

NEW YORK -- Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton made a rehab assignment start for Double-A Pensacola on Friday night, and it went well. Broxton pitched a scoreless first inning with two strikeouts and one hit batter while throwing 19 pitches.

Broxton, who is working his way back from August right forearm surgery, is scheduled to start and throw one inning for Pensacola on Saturday.

"Good velocity. It sounded like he had a real good slider," Reds manager Bryan Price said of the game report on Broxton. "He was around the plate with his stuff. Not only is he going back to back, he's going back-to-back starts. How many guys other than Wilbur Wood do that?"

Broxton could return from the disabled list during the Reds' next series at St. Louis.

Catching in the game was Devin Mesoraco, who is on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. Mesoraco went 0-for-3 in his second start for the Blue Wahoos. He could be activated as soon as Monday.

"There is a chance he could be," Price said.