Gallardo starting rehab assignment next week in Frederick

CLEVELAND - Yovani Gallardo will take a work day following this morning's simulated game and most likely start for Single-A Frederick in Thursday's doubleheader.

The only way Gallardo fails to make his start for the Keys is if his shoulder doesn't respond favorably to the bullpen session. Otherwise, he's ready to begin an injury rehab assignment.

The Orioles are hoping to get Gallardo up to 60 pitches at Frederick.

Gallardo threw 45 pitches today in his simulated game at Progressive Field.

"It went well," he said. "Kind of simulated three innings. I felt pretty good. The curveball was coming out like the previous two bullpens. Offspeed pitchers were sharp. I'm pretty excited about how it all went today."

Also important was how Gallardo got up and down after the 15th pitch of each inning.

"I think that's a big factor when you're in a ballgame, just being able to go out there and throw X number of pitches and then coming in and sitting down and resting for however long," Gallardo said. "Just up and down, I think it's very important just as getting the pitch count up and myself being able to go out there and throwing 45 pitches for the first time out is pretty good, pretty important.

"I felt really good. Probably the most important thing is to see how I feel coming in tomorrow. It depends on that, and we'll go from there, but it's definitely a move forward. I was pretty excited about how things are going up to this point."

The Orioles have determined that Gallardo will be game ready next week.

"I feel good," he said. "The most important thing is, has that life. My fastball and breaking stuff is late in the zone. That's very important. Command-wise, it's getting there. I think, just a couple of good quality pitches, and then it gets away from you for a little bit. The most important thing is I'm able to make the adjustment, which I think is huge.

"I think it's a matter of getting that pitch count up, to be honest. It's one of those things. It's going to be key and it's all going to depend on how I'm able to recover each and every time that I throw."

Gallardo's return has been accelerated due to the exercises designed to strengthen his shoulder.

"It feels really well. It feels very good, actually," he said. "Every pitch that I throw feels like it's coming out with that life, late in the zone, right before it gets to the hitter. You can just feel the difference coming out of my hand. One of those things that I've noticed is the cutter, it has that tight spin, tight rotation, that late movement instead of coming out of my hand early kind of just spinning.

"I think those are the main two factors that I can tell, that I can actually notice a big difference. I'm able to get through the ball and get that full extension, which gives me that life the last, whatever it is, before it gets to the hitter."

Gallardo said he doesn't need to work on one specific pitch.

"I think the most important thing is to mix everything up, to try to treat it as just an inning," he said. "Each and every time out, try to mix everything in, mix all the pitches and make sure everything goes well and everything is coming out good. I made some pretty good pitches to both sides of the plate, just moving the ball around, just getting that consistency. It was good."