Finnegan could return to mound for Reds on Saturday

Starter hasn’t pitched in big leagues since last June

Brandon Finnegan’s motto this week comes down to four words: “Hurry up and wait.”

The Cincinnati Reds starter, who has been on the disabled list since March 29 with a strained left bicep muscle, is ready to pitch. He’s just waiting for word from the Reds.

Finnegan’s start likely will come Saturday in a 1:10 p.m. game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. It’s just not official yet. For now, Cody Reed is scheduled to start.

“I’m just waiting to hear what’s going on,” Finnegan said Thursday.

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Finnegan pitched five innings Monday in a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits and walked five. He threw 96 pitches.

Finnegan liked his command even if his final numbers weren’t great, and he said he achieved his goal of staying “in the fairway” and “not running away from my arm.”

“I threw a lot of really good pitches,” Finnegan said. “The umpire and I weren’t seeing eye to eye, but it happens. He’s in the minor leagues for a reason. My misses were really small. ... I was happy with the start. I got in some rough spots, but I got out of them pretty well.”

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Finnegan said he didn’t need another rehab start.

“I don’t know what else I would need to do,” Finnegan said. “I threw (96) pitches. That’s the most I’ve thrown in a year and a half. I came out feeling good. That a big key to it.”

Finnegan hasn’t started in the big leagues since June 26 of last season. He was limited to four starts in 2017 because of injuries. He was penciled into the starting rotation in the offseason but was slowed by the injury in the spring.

“There’s a very high probability he’ll make his next start for us,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

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