Jake Arrieta said he threw about 40 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday morning and felt good, but he still expects to skip his Wednesday start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
"My side was pretty good. I was a little timid at first to let it go, but once we got loose, got stretched out pretty good and felt close to normal," Arrieta said. "Breaking balls were good, whatever I really wanted to make sure I was able to do was throw my curveball and slider with some pretty good effort, and I was able to do that pretty well. They were both sharp."
Arrieta, who was experiencing right elbow inflammation, said he will throw a 50-pitch bullpen session Wednesday, and if that goes well, he likely will start Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.
"I think since I didn't pick up a ball for four days from Monday, it is probably a good idea to get two bullpens in before I make a start just to kind of make sure I am full strength, which I think I am. It's just a matter of getting a 40-, 50-pitch pen in before I go out there and throw 110 pitches."
Nothing is official, but the guess is that Chris Jakubauskas will make Arrieta's start Wednesday versus the Cardinals.
Arrieta is 9-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 16 starts this year. He threw all his pitches Sunday and experienced no discomfort in the elbow. He left Monday's start after just five innings. Pushing him back a few days, he said, is simply a precaution.
"It's not disappointing, I think it is better to be safe than sorry," Arrieta said. "I could go out there and start on Wednesday and not really be sure of how I feel in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. So I think getting two [bullpen sessions] in is exactly what we need to do just to make sure I am full bore, ready to go. And be max effort and not be afraid to throw any of my pitches with full intensity."
