Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton, who made his first rehab start Thursday night since undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer, earned rave reviews from manager Clint Hurdle.
Morton needed only 44 pitches to get through three innings for Class A Bradenton and his fastball hit 97 mph on the radar gun. Before his surgery, Morton's fastballs topped out in the mid-90s.
"He was 92 to 97 [Thursday]," Hurdle told MLB.com, "ninety-seven. It was very encouraging. A very good first step."
Barring setbacks, Morton is expected to rejoin the Pirates by mid-May at the latest.