Ogando, Feliz nearing returns from injury

SEATTLE -- Alexi Ogando, on the disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder, had another session of long toss on Wednesday morning, and his next step will be a bullpen session on Saturday in Arlington. It will be his first session off a mound since his last start on Aug. 13.

"It feels good," Ogando said. "I don't know what it will be like with more stress off the mound, but right now it's good."

With Minor League seasons coming to an end next week, Ogando will likely not go on a rehab assignment. But the Rangers are still planning on using him as a starter when he returns, although it's still going to be another one to two weeks before he gains enough strength and durability for that role. Ogando could be used in a "piggy-back" arrangement with fifth-starter Travis Blackley until he is built up enough to resume his spot in the rotation.

Neftali Feliz, in the final stages of recovering from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, is scheduled to pitch two or three innings on Wednesday night for Triple-A Round Rock. This will likely be his longest outing on his rehab assignment, but the Rangers are not stretching him out as a starter. They are just giving Feliz extra work in preparation for being activated on Sunday.

"Instead of using him in back-to-back games, we're letting him throw multiple innings," manager Ron Washington said. "We're just trying to get his arm strength going. He's not going to be a two-inning pitcher when he comes up here."