Chacin progressing toward big league return

LOS ANGELES -- Rockies right-hander Jhoulys Chacin's right shoulder felt healthy and closer to sharpness after a 4 2/3-inning rehab performance for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday night, head athletic trainer Keith Dugger said Friday.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said the club has not determined if Chacin's next start will be with the Rockies, or again with Colorado Springs. If he continues the rehab assignment, and he can throw up to two more times, the next start will be Tuesday night at Memphis.

Chacin sustained the injury before even throwing a bullpen session in Spring Training, but he was shut down before the problem became worse. The Rockies consider Chacin at about at the stage of the last or next-to-last start of Spring Training.

Chacin threw 80 pitches over 4 2/3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs (two earned) for Colorado Springs against Iowa.

"He felt good, I talked to him this morning, and actually he threw all right, and he came out of the game with two guys on," Dugger said. "Health-wise, he felt real good and he felt he had better control. His offspeed was good, his changeup was good, and slider was probably the best his slider has been. He had a better feel for it."

Dugger said the next outing, wherever it is, will have no pitch restriction.