PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Reliever Jake McGee has thrown from 90 feet in his recovery process, and he's targeting a late April return to the Tampa Bay Rays' bullpen.
McGee, 28, remains optimistic with his rehab progress after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in December. Speaking at Charlotte Sports Park on Friday, he said he hopes to begin a rehab assignment in early April and return shortly after.
McGee said he's unsure when he'll begin throwing off a mound, but he anticipates increasing his distance when playing catch in the coming weeks.
"I'm sure I'll get back to at least 115-120 (feet) and go from there and try to evaluate it from there," McGee said. "So each time I can go an extra 15 feet, it has been feeling a little better each day."
McGee said he felt sore earlier in the week after throwing from 90 feet, but he added that the pain was less severe by Friday. Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman, for his part, said McGee's confidence encourages him.
"I like that he has expectations to come back earlier in April," Silverman said. "We looking for him just to take it slowly and make sure he's ready on time. If it's in April, that's great. But that's sort of the time frame that we're looking at there."
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