Britton and Trumbo provide injury updates

The Orioles keep receiving positive news on closer Zach Britton, who threw off a half-mound today for the first time since undergoing surgery on his right Achilles tendon.

Twenty four-seam fastballs and not a single regret.

"Felt really good," he said. "It was the first bullpen, so I had to think about that, too. My arm felt really good and really just thinking about getting over that foot, no hesitation whatsoever, especially as we got going. Maybe the first couple of throws. But once we got going it felt really good."

Britton will perform fielding drills on Saturday and the club will decide whether he can move onto a full mound after taking a day off.

The PFPs are the true test of his recovery and mental state.

"The doctor said that I wasn't going to have an issue getting back on the mound," Britton said. "Running, stopping. I'm not sure if I'm going to do throwing, but I'm going to the running and stopping off the mound and see how it feels. But the way it's been going I haven't had any issues whatsoever in anything that we've added new, so I don't expect to have any.

"I think it's more mentally getting off the mound, running hard, stopping, turning around and throwing the ball to first."

Britton won't go on a rehab assignment after the current 10-game homestand, according to manager Buck Showalter.

There's a balance of priorities with Britton, who wants to come back quickly and make a contribution, but also knows that he can't risk a setback and jeopardize his season and career.

"It's tough," he said. "First and foremost I want to be back healthy pitching here helping the team. That's the toughest part as far as sitting back and watching these guys play. But (head athletic trainer) Brian Ebel has done a great job of keeping me on track with the rehab and I think a lot of the things that we've done, especially now being able to get off the mound, it's making it a little easier. I feel like I'm getting back into baseball activities. But you weigh making sure I'm physically 100 percent ready before I come back and then obviously you want to rush because you want to be back with the guys.

"I did that last year when I got hurt and it didn't really work out well, so I think having that in the back of my head, I know that I need to be 100 percent ready to go and that's really the only way I'm going to help this team."

Mark Trumbo is nearing a return to the minors for his injury rehab assignment after appearing in one game with Double-A Bowie on April 10.

Trumbo tested his right quadriceps muscle this afternoon by performing some running drills and felt "completely pain-free."

"I think in a matter of a couple days we'll probably be getting in some games. At least that's my thought," he said. "We need to sit down and go over it again, but I feel healthy at this point."

Trumbo said he feels much better now compared to his first attempt at the rehab assignment.

"I think somewhere around two or three days ago it finally felt like it had kind of gotten over the hurdle," he said. "It's positive news and I think we'll be getting in games and getting back pretty soon.

"We've tried a few different things. I finally feels right, so that's the easiest way I can put it."

There's no set number of at-bats that Trumbo is seeking before he comes off the disabled list.

"I felt pretty good when we tried to get it going last time," he said. "There's no science behind it. It really is a feel thing. I think if I'm taking the pitches I need to take, that's a better sign than maybe the hits, but we'll do the best we can."

Single-A Frederick pitcher Cody Sedlock was placed on seven-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain. The first-round pick in 2016 struggled in his first three starts, allowing 14 earned runs (15 total) and 16 hits, walking nine batters and hitting three over 9 1/3 innings.

Sedlock went on the DL last summer with a strained right elbow and was shut down in August with tightness in his right forearm.