ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Not that the Cincinnati Reds bullpen is pitching like it needs any help.But Caleb Ferguson, the playoff-tested left-hander who signed a $4.5 million free agent deal, is closing in on a minor-league rehab assignment and Reds debut.Ferguson suffered an oblique strain during spring training and has been treating and rehabbing it since, his latest step being a simulated inning Monday at Tropicana Field before the Reds opened a three-game series against the Rays.“It was good. I feel good.

We checked the boxes we needed to check,” said Ferguson, who threw all his pitches in the 16-pitch effort and is scheduled to throw another simulated inning Friday at home.Barring setback, the next step after Friday could be a minor-league rehab assignment that would serve as essentially spring training for him.“My number is six (outings to be ready), and anything they want me to do after that I’m all in,” Ferguson said. “We’ll see what the program looks like when we get to that.”That could make his timeline for a return sometime during or near the Reds' May 8-14 homestand.Ferguson said one of the biggest advantages for him during the process is that he hasn’t felt rushed because everybody else in the bullpen has performed so well this season.The Reds’ bullpen ranked first in the majors in ERA (2.31) and saves (10) entering the Rays series.“That’s really beneficial,” he said.Is Cincinnati Reds catcher Jose Trevino close to returning?Catcher Jose Trevino caught Ferguson’s inning and is expected to be one of the hitters to step in against Nick Lodolo on Tuesday afternoon when the left-hander throws a three-inning simulated game.“He feels really good,” manager Terry Francona said.

“He’s starting to champ at the bit a little, which is good.”The manager said he doesn’t expect Trevino to need a rehab assignment before being activated from the IL. Trevino had been managing back pain since spring training before finally landing on the IL two weeks ago and getting an epidural.“Baseball-wise I think he’s fine,” Francona said, adding the decision for activating him is just about getting him to a point that “we don’t think he’s going to play a game and hurt himself.”This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Caleb Ferguson, Jose Trevino, Cincinnati Reds injury return timelines