Cueto set to start rehab assignment Thursday

CINCINNATI -- Reds ace Johnny Cueto will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Class A Dayton, pitching a home game against Lansing. Cueto threw 25 pitches in the bullpen on Monday and felt no ill-effects in his oblique area.

"I feel pretty good," Cueto said Wednesday morning.

A while later, Cueto played catch on the field with Miguel Cairo and appeared to throw nice and easy.

Cueto has been on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right lat, but had a setback during an exam last week, when he felt soreness in the right oblique. That forced the Reds to push back the start of a planned rehab assignment at Double-A Pensacola.

Cueto's injured battery mate, catcher Ryan Hanigan, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday and went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk against Lehigh Valley. Hanigan, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 21 with left oblique and right thumb injuries, caught and played six innings.