Kontos (groin) was able to toss a 20-pitch simulated game prior to Tuesday's contest and should be activated within the next couple days, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
This marked the first time that Kontos threw off the mound since landing on the DL on Aug. 22, and he felt fine following the brief outing. According to head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk, the right-hander is on the verge of returning to the big-league club, and should be able to slide right back into high-leverage roles for the Pirates' bullpen upon his reinstatement.