GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds are counting on Raisel Iglesias to be a main cog in the back end of their bullpen. But Iglesias hasn't thrown a pitch in a spring game since March 14 because of a bone bruise on his right elbow.
Iglesias, who hurt his elbow and hips during a fall in the shower, felt the idle time would not affect him negatively.
"I'm not worried about it. I feel strong right now," Iglesias said on Monday via translator Julio Morillo. "I feel like all of my pitches are there. [Tuesday], I'm going to throw in the bullpen. After that, I'm pretty confident that I'm going to go into the season and compete and everything is going to be fine."
If Iglesias has a successful bullpen session, manager Bryan Price plans to get him into a game, potentially one of the exhibitions in Dayton or Louisville vs. Reds Minor Leaguers.
"My elbow and my hips are fine," Iglesias said. "I feel really good. I think everything is going to be all right."
Iglesias threw on Sunday, leaving Price optimistic he would be ready.
"He did everything yesterday. He threw, he hit. His back is fine. His elbow is fine," Price said.
Following a stint on the disabled list from May 1-June 20 last season because of a shoulder impingement, Iglesias switched from starting to relief work. The right-hander had a 1.98 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and six saves in eight chances over 50 innings and 32 relief appearances.
Price plans to utilize Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen, Tony Cingrani and Drew Storen at the end of games for potentially multiple innings per appearances. Iglesias, 27, is prepared for anything.
"Whatever they want me to do, I will do it. I will compete," Iglesias said. "I will do my best. I just want to show them that I'm ready to be the closer of this team. That's my goal. I'm going to go and do whatever I did last year, compete and whatever decision they make will be fine with me."