DENVER -- Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson, scratched from Monday night's start with left shoulder soreness, played "an aggressive game of catch," according to manager Bud Black, and could be used as a starter or a reliever during the final regular-season games.
After making several flat-ground throws from about 60 feet, Anderson gradually moved deeper for more throws.
"He came out of it OK, so we're encouraged about where Tyler is, but no timetable," Black said.
With the National League West and the NL Wild Card berths undecided, the Rockies haven't announced their starters for the final three-game series starting Friday against the Nationals.
Anderson (6-9, 4.76 ERA in 31 games, all starts) has been a reliever for only two of his 67 Major League appearances. But depending on where the Rockies are in the standings, and Anderson's health, working as either a reliever or making a shorter start remain possibilities. In fact, Wednesday night's lineup card listed him in the bullpen.
"He can pop out there and get an inning or two," Black said. "He has the aptitude, the wherewithal, the mental capabilities to come out of the bullpen and handle it fine."
In seven starts from Aug. 4-Sept. 9, Anderson went 0-5 with a 10.13 ERA and threw fewer than six innings in five of those outings. However, mechanical issues -- not injury -- were believed to be the culprit. In his last two starts, he pitched six innings of two-run ball in each of them. But soreness over the weekend led to Anderson missing Monday's start.