Indians outfielder Michael Brantley played in his second rehab assignment and his first with the Double-A RubberDucks on Thursday night.
Brantley went 1-for-2 and left the night feeling good about how his surgically repaired shoulder has felt this week.
Still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, Brantley softly grounded out to first base in his first at-bat and roped a single to right-center field on the first pitch he saw on his second trip to the plate.
“Felt great,” Brantley said. “Glad to be back out there. [It is] another day closer to getting back up to the big leagues. It was a good start. … I was very happy with the way [the shoulder] responded. It’s in a good spot.”
Brantley appeared in two Cactus League games in Goodyear, Ariz., in March but then felt soreness and was shut down. Tuesday night’s game in Triple-A Columbus was his first in-game action in about three weeks. He then did light hitting work on Wednesday before joining the RubberDucks.
“Shoulder bounced back very well,” Brantley said. “I can’t put a percentage on it, but I know I’m doing great. After Day 1 I could bounce back. I felt like I could play a game the next day. Good signs.”
Brantley added he hasn’t been told too much about the plan going forward, though he will be working out in Cleveland on Friday as the Indians return home to face the New York Mets.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ