Stephen Strasburg throws again Monday with no problems - MLB

Stephen Strasburg, who played catch Sunday for the first time since going the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, threw from up to 120 feet Monday with no reported problems, according to Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com.

“Everything was fine,” pitching coach Steve McCatty said.

Strasburg started at 60 feet — the same distance he threw from on Sunday — then gradually increased the distance to 120 feet, putting “a good amount of effort into each long toss,” according to Zuckerman.

The young phenom will face his biggest test yet Tuesday, when he is slated to throw off a mound for the first time. If all goes well, he will have a simulated game Thursday.

Strasburg is eligible to be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Friday, however Nationals manager Jim Riggleman indicated that he won’t likely return until the team’s homestand next week. By Zuckerman’s logic, the simulated start would line him up for Tuesday, August 10 against the Marlins. Sweet. Just two days before Stephen Strasburg DVD night!

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.