Lucchesi (hip) played catch Tuesday at a distance of 120 feet, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
It's a small step forward for Lucchesi in his recovery from a right hip strain, as the southpaw hadn't expanded his throwing distance beyond 75 feet as recently as Monday. Despite Lucchesi's progress, he'll still likely need to complete a pair of bullpen sessions and face hitters in batting practice before getting clearance to return from the disabled list, so a return over the weekend doesn't seem to be in the cards. Long reliever Robbie Erlin made a spot start in Lucchesi's stead Monday against the Nationals, but Erlin is expected to move back to the bullpen and clear the way for a minor-league pitcher to fill Lucchesi's next turn through the rotation Sunday versus the Dodgers.