Richard Lovelady took another step back toward the mound on Friday, throwing a light bullpen session as he continues to work his way back from a left triceps strain. The left-hander is still on the 60-day injured list, which means he cannot be activated until Aug. 28.
That date is why the bullpen session matters now. It is the first clear sign that Lovelady is moving beyond basic rest and into the kind of throwing work that usually comes before a return, and it gives him a shot at being back on or around Aug. 28 if the rehab stays on track.
Before the injury, Lovelady had given Washington useful work out of the bullpen. In 27 appearances, he posted a 3.91 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP, while also finishing with four saves and nine holds. Those numbers explain why his recovery has drawn attention even with no roster move available yet.
The catch is that a bullpen session is only one checkpoint. A pitcher coming back from a triceps strain typically has to keep building volume and intensity before he is ready for game action, and the calendar still controls the rest of Lovelady’s path. He was placed on the injured list after June 29, and the minimum stay on the 60-day list keeps him sidelined until late August no matter how encouraging Friday looked.
So the next milestone is not a return date already in hand. It is the stretch of rehab between now and Aug. 28, when Lovelady first becomes eligible to come back and Washington can decide whether the arm is ready for the next step.
