PHOENIX -- Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young underwent a full workout under watchful eyes at Chase Field on Monday, and it appears he could return in two weeks.
Young took 50 swings in the batting cage in early work and threw in the outfield from up to 120 feet, the first time he had done both in the same day since suffering a slight ligament tear in his right shoulder that landed him on the disabled list April 18.
While Young will need a rehab assignment before he returns, manager Kirk Gibson said, Young remains on track to rejoin the D-backs before right-handers Daniel Hudson and Takashi Saito and shortstop Stephen Drew.
Gibson and general manager Kevin Towers watched Young, who was off to such a fast start that he remains tied for second on the team with 13 RBIs despite missing the last 18 games.
“A few days ago, I didn’t know I’d be able to do all that,” Young said. "But you get around teammates and your coaches, it motivates you in the right way. You get the GM behind you when you are taking batting practice, it kind of fires you up. It kind of puts you in a different mindset.
Young said he had "a little bit of tightness, but I’m just happy I could go through everything baseball related and not look like I’m guarding it. It was extremely encouraging.”
Gibson said he might try to get Young to play in an intrasquad game Thursday at the team's extended spring training program at Salt River Fields, but there is no timetable at this point.
“He’s come a long way, but he has a ways to go,” Gibson said. "If we’re lucky, maybe next week, maybe get him out (on a rehab assignment) and get in some games. We want to make sure he’s ready to come back and play at full speed.
“I think he still favors it and is not 100 percent comfortable with it yet, certainly not with his throwing.”
Hudson is scheduled to throw a bullpen session at Chase Field on Tuesday, his first time throwing off a mound since his last start April 18 against Pittsburgh. Hudson threw about 20 pitches off flat ground recently and expects to throw 35-40 on Tuesday.
Before returning, Hudson will require the normal buildup a pitcher needs before the start of the season, which includes bullpen and live batting practice sessions. He will gradually build up to 60 and 75 pitches during sessions in that process, Gibson said. He appears to be at least three weeks away.
“If everything goes good, end of the month back in there somewhere,” Gibson said of an expected rehab assignment.
Hudson said he has to “take it slow."
"I don’t want any setbacks," he added. "I feel like I could jump back out there today, but at the same time you still want to be smart. I want to be pitching in September and October, not go back out and have two starts and have something happen."
Drew is to play five innings in an extended spring training game Tuesday, Gibson said. He played four innings Saturday. Upcoming steps include sliding and playing a full nine innings. Drew said he continues to feel soreness, as expected after breaking his angle last July 20 while sliding into home plate.
Young and Hudson said they were miserable being away from the team during its 10-game road trip that ended Sunday in New York.
"Ten days seemed liked eternity," said Young, who sent out a tweet last week that said he missed his teammates. "Sitting on your coach watching the games is awkward for me, because I’ve never done it before."
"I'm sure my teammates missed me back,” Young added. "I’ve been telling them all, making sure to tell them I missed them -- yeah, in a manly way. Most of them are showing me love back, some are looking at me a little creepy, but it’s all good."
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