CLEVELAND _ Indians right-hander Danny Salazar is slated to start Thursday night's home game against the Chicago White Sox, ending his stint on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.
Sidelined since Aug. 2, Salazar did not make a minor league rehab start, instead throwing a short simulated game after Sunday's victory over the Angels.
"He threw a normal warmup, then he came out and threw a normal inning on the game mound, so the transition to pitching isn't quite as drastic," Indians manager Terry Francona said Monday. "Part of what we're trying to protect ... Danny throws so hard, all of a sudden he feels good, and he comes out and he's throwing 98 [mph], then the next start he's stiff. We're trying to manage that the best we can."
Salazar said he felt "really good" during the outing, estimating he threw 15 to 18 pitches. He said he used everything in his arsenal.
"It was nice, they were working," Salazar said.
Salazar said Sunday was the first time in the last two weeks when he knew he could throw hard without worrying.
"I saw a pretty good Danny Salazar," Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway said. "It's tough to take 15-16 days off and come back and pitch in the major leagues, even if you've got great stuff. We want to make sure we did everything instead of a rehab assignment to make sure he's in a good spot."
Because Salazar will be on a pitch count, Francona said right-hander Mike Clevinger will be available in the bullpen to relieve him. Clevinger will switch to bullpen duty starting Tuesday.
"We don't want to get him too far because we don't want to undo what he did," Francona said of Salazar.
The break gave Salazar a chance to regain confidence in his arm, which Francona said should be a boost down the stretch for the first-place Indians.
"It's hard enough to execute pitches, but when you've got in the back of your mind you're going to feel something, it's hard to have that last little bit of conviction," Francona said. "Hopefully this did the trick and for the last six weeks of the regular season ... it doesn't mean you're going to always win, but it's nice to let a guy go out there and be himself."
Callaway said Salazar must learn to deal with the workload required of a starter on a playoff-contending team.
"I think [Corey] Kluber had to learn that," Callaway said. "Danny's learning, 'What do I have to do in between starts to get ready for the next start? Once I get to a certain innings threshold, do I need to back off, do I need to do more?' "
Salazar has pitched 117 1/3 innings this season. His career-high in the majors is 185 innings with the Indians last season.
