By Anthony Rieber
CINCINNATI – Pedro has reentered the building.
Pedro Martinez flew to Cincinnati yesterday and walked into Great American Ball Park at about 7:45 p.m. He threw a short bullpen session during the sixth and seventh innings of last night’s game against the Reds.
Martinez left his last start on July 12 after four innings because of tightness in his shoulder and had a cortisone shot in his hip on Thursday to treat a sore groin.
Manager Jerry Manuel, who before Martinez arrived said he was “wavering” on whether to start him on Tuesday against the Phillies, wavered no more after the game. Martinez will not pitch again until next weekend at the earliest.
Still, Martinez was cautiously optimistic about his light session.
“OK for the time being, so far,” he said. “I’ll say it’s a positive day.”
Martinez said the shoulder felt fine and the shot was to treat the groin; the hip is just where they give the injection.
“That was the first time we tested it out there,” he said. “I’m going to see how it feels [today]. As far as I was expecting, it was a positive day.”
Martinez did not go all out in the bullpen.
“I can’t,” he said. “It would be stupid on my behalf.”
With Martinez out, the rotation for the Phillies series at Shea will be Johan Santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez.