A's McCarthy to make first rehab start on Tuesday

June 18, 2011A'S PAGEA'SVIDEO

CSNBayArea.com staff

OAKLAND -- As right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who has been on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his right scapula (shoulder) since May 19, told reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News on Saturday that hes scheduled to make his first rehab start with the Single-A Stockton Ports on Thursday against the host San Jose Giants.McCarthy, who has been plagued by the same injury a number of times in recent years, threw in a simulated game before the second game of a three-game series against the visiting Giants at Overstock.com Coliseum.Twenty or so pitches, up and down three times, As manager Bob Melvin said of McCarthys 60- to 65-pitch session.Facing McCarthy were utilityman Adam Rosales, outfielder Ryan Sweeney, catcher Landon Powell and pitcher Josh Outman, who was limited to working on his bunting in anticipation of interleague action in National League parks. Sweeney made the loudest contact, homering once.
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Should McCarthy get through his start for Stockton without incident, hell make a second minor-league appearance the following Tuesday for Triple-A Sacramento.Also Saturday, Melvin also provided an update on outfielder Josh Willingham, who has been bothered by a nagging Achilles over the past several weeks, noting that it has yet to reach the point where the medical staff deems it DL-worthy. Willingham was not in Saturdays lineup and is considered day-to-day, but he might get an extended rest to prevent the situation from becoming what Melvin referred to as week-to-week.With Willingham unlikely to be asked to risk further injury by chasing balls in the outfield, Melvin indicated that Hideki Matsui, Oaklands regular designated hitter since Bob Geren was fired as manager Tuesday, is expected to see some time in left field during interleague play in NL parks as opposed to the previous plan of putting him in right -- and he could very well play more than the game or two that Melvin has mapped out.