Aroldis Chapman Passes Last Test For Rehab Assignment

It will be six weeks tomorrow (April 30) since Aroldis Chapman was hit in the face with a batted ball by Salvador Perez on Kansas City.

The prognosis from the doctors on March 20 was that Chapman would be out eight weeks.

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His 25-pitch live batting practice session on Tuesday, set the stage for a rehab assignment in Dayton on Thursday.

“It went very good,” Chapman said, with trainer Tomas Vera translating. “All my pitches were the way I wanted.”

“I feel normal,” he said. “I feel the way I was before I got hit with the ball.”

Manager Bryan Price thinks Chapman needs only a few games in the minors to get ready for his return. Chapman suggested four or five would be sufficient.

Chapman threw the equivalent of one inning to Reds hitters, working more on his change-up and slider.

“I know I have the fastball,” he said. “I’m feeling I have the fastball. I’m working with the breaking pitches.”

Outfielder Roger Bernadina saw a couple of fastballs at the outset from Chapman and couldn’t connect.
“I didn’t see the first two,” Bernadina said.

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http://mediadownloads.mlb.com//mlbam/2014/04/29/mlbpb_23542123_600K.mp4