CINCINNATI -- Reds right fielder Scott Schebler departed Sunday to join Double-A Pensacola and resume a rehab assignment that was previously cut short because of persistent right shoulder soreness.
Schebler, who has been on the disabled list since spraining the AC joint in his shoulder during a July 14 wall collision in St. Louis, played seven games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville until it was halted on Aug. 2 when he felt pain from throwing in left field in a game.
"It's been a longer process than I thought, but I feel like we made the right decision on just kind of waiting it out," Schebler said before heading to the airport. "It wasn't beneficial to me. It wasn't beneficial to the team for me to come back at that point. It would've hurt the team. We made the right decision to get some rest and make sure it was 100 percent before coming back."
Schebler is scheduled to play three games vs. Mobile from Monday through Wednesday, with at least two of those games being in right field and the other as the designated hitter. If all goes well, he could meet the Reds in Chicago on Thursday and be active for the four-game series vs. the Cubs.
This weekend, Schebler has extended his throwing distances to 150 feet, and he was also able to make throws to the bases. There was no pain or discomfort.
"From right field, I threw to third base four times, and I threw home four times [Saturday]," Schebler said. "Definitely ready to go. I've passed all the tests. I'm just ready to finally get in games."
Six-man rotation back to five soon?
When the Reds decided to temporarily go to a six-man rotation on July 22, it was initially expected to last one or two turns for each starting pitcher. Now it's been almost a month. The pitchers would prefer to pitch on the normal four days of rest rather than the five or six days of rest it's been, and it's been discussed with them by interim manager Jim Riggleman.
"[Pitching coach] Danny Darwin and I have both mentioned to them that this is where we are," Riggleman said. "We have to look at some people and make some decisions about next year. We'll get out of this as soon as possible."
Initially, the feeling was that the Reds would go back to five starters once Matt Harvey was traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.
"That didn't happen. So now we have to look at the performances and decide who would come out and who could handle the bullpen if they do come out," Riggleman said. "I think it will be at most, one more time. I don't think it will be more than that. It might not even be that much."