Yovani Gallardo on bullpen session: "I was pretty excited how it went today"

ANAHEIM, Calif. - As one Orioles starting pitcher struggled badly today in a 10-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, another took a solid step closer to rejoining the starting five.

Before a game where Ubaldo Jimenez would allow six runs in a 10-2 loss to Los Angeles, right-hander Yovani Gallardo threw an important bullpen session. It was his first since he went on the disabled list April 23 with right shoulder tendinitis. After the game, Gallardo provided an update on that session.

"Good. It went, actually, really well," he said. "I threw 25 pitches, mixed in a couple sliders, a couple changeups. Not very many, but the most important thing is just getting back out there on the mound. It was a good feeling and it felt good, so it was pretty exciting.

"I think the plan right now is I'll throw another bullpen Wednesday, that second day there in Houston. Hopefully, throw a little bit more pitches. Hopefully, it's a regular bullpen, maybe put a little more intensity behind it than what it was today. Hopefully, it feels the way that it felt today."

This is all leading toward a simulated game that Gallardo will then throw. After that, perhaps a minor league start or two and hopefully a return to the Orioles. When will the simulated game be?

"Some time in the weekend, Friday or Saturday. You don't want to do it on Sunday. But that's the plan right now, and we'll see how that second bullpen turns out," he said.

Gallardo is 1-1 with an ERA of 7.00 in four starts for the Orioles. He left his start April 22 in Kansas City after two innings due to shoulder discomfort. That led him to the disabled list and then to the rehab that has advanced to the point where he got back on the mound here this morning.

If he goes on a minor league rehab assignment, how many starts will he need before he returns to the Orioles?

"Honestly, I have no idea," Gallardo said. "The first step was getting to throw a bullpen today, and just seeing how everything is tomorrow. The next step is throwing my second bullpen with a little bit more intensity, then I think once we do that, we'll have a pretty good idea of what the plan is."

Gallardo is clearly making good progress in his rehab. The physical part is going very well. Does he have some mental hurdles to leap over as well?

"I think that's what getting on that mound (is about)," he said. "Being able to throw that first bullpen, getting on the mound and just trusting it. Going out there and feeling good. I think once you're able to do that, I think that's why two bullpens is a pretty good idea just to feel good today. That second one, you try to ramp it up a little bit more with more intensity, just knowing that it's been feeling good. I was pretty excited how things went today."