CINCINNATI -- Reds right-hander Homer Bailey is ready to start another rehab assignment, with the hope that the sequel has a better outcome than the original. Bailey, who is trying to return from Tommy John surgery performed in May 2015, is scheduled to throw two innings on Monday for Triple-A Louisville.
Excitement about seeing game action again is lacking for Bailey, who was shut down after his April 26 start for Double-A Pensacola because of a setback with his right elbow at a time he was close to being activated from the disabled list.
"We've already been down this road and it didn't work out so good the first time. We'll try to go day by day," Bailey said on Thursday.
Bailey just returned from the team's player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., where he faced low-level Minor Leaguers for two sessions of live batting practice. He threw two innings and 30 pitches in the first outing and two innings with 40 pitches in the second.
"Everything went fine," Bailey said.
The Reds have proceeded more deliberately than normal during Bailey's throwing program since his setback. There have been no issues this time, leaving manager Bryan Price cautiously optimistic.
"He's looked phenomenal, really, ever since he picked up this throwing program again," Price said. "I think we've all got our fingers crossed that everything will go off without a hitch and that he'll continue his rehab protocol for us later in July."
As for how many rehab starts Bailey will make, it's a somewhat fluid situation.
"I think we've got to go one at a time at this point," Price said. "You're really looking at getting stretched out to 90 pitches. That, to me, is probably a minimum of five starts."
If Bailey does get through five starts without another setback, that would make the earliest date for a potential return sometime in late July.
Bailey, who is in the third year of a six-year, $105 million contract, was able to use all of his pitches when he faced hitters in Arizona. He didn't plan on dialing back to prevent another issue when he begins facing Triple-A hitters next week.
"If I go do that, that's how you hurt something else," he said. "At this point, I'll just go throw. If it's going to act up, it's going to act up. I'd rather do it down there in a rehab start than get up here, make two starts and have that issue."
Worth noting
• Left-hander Cody Reed will make his home debut on Friday vs. the Padres, his second big league start. Reed, who struck out nine over seven innings at Houston in his debut on Saturday, will have family on hand at Great American Ball Park. He's also aware that a large turnout is expected for a weekend that celebrates Pete Rose.

"I hope it's a nice crowd out here. It will be awesome to pitch in front of all these fans," Reed said. "Pitching at home is awesome. I'm just going to go out there and throw strikes, and try to get quick outs and work efficiently."