GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Even though their injuries were considered minor speed bumps of Spring Training, the Reds and fans can breathe a little easier knowing that two-fifths of their revamped rotation is set to return.

After it was revealed Wednesday that Sonny Gray would make his spring debut on Saturday vs. the Padres, it was learned Thursday that lefty Alex Wood would likely pitch this weekend as well. Reds manager David Bell also felt they could be ready for the start of the regular season.

“We’re not going to rush them or push them unnecessarily to be able to get them to do that,” Bell said. “But the way it turns out, and if they don’t have any more setbacks, there’s no reason to believe they can’t be.”

Wood last pitched on Feb. 25 against the Mariners and labored in one inning, with three earned runs and two hits allowed and one walk. During a side session later in camp, he came down with a sore lower back.

"I got a little inflamed in my back,” Wood said. “We were already going to do a little extra work in between my first outing and my next game. Then I got pretty hot [in the back] after my first bullpen after that start. I took it easy for a couple of days. I’m trending in the right direction. I threw a ‘pen yesterday and should be having a game this weekend hopefully.”

Wood threw 26 pitches in his side bullpen session on Wednesday. He’s dealt with back soreness in the past, but it’s never been a serious issue.

“If it was in season, we would probably manage it a little differently, but we have a little time right now,” Wood said. “Just kind of getting inflammation out of there, but all good. No worries.”

Gray missed his first scheduled start on Feb. 23 because of right elbow stiffness.

“What a difference 10 days makes,” Bell said. “He’s made a ton of progress. It was a little bit of a setback. If it keeps going in this direction, which we believe it will, he’s really right on track to start. We don’t know what day he’s going to start -- sometime within in the first week to 10 days for sure. It could be sooner.”

Senzel returns

After he was given a couple of games off with a tight left hamstring, center fielder Nick Senzel went 1-for-3 during his start in Thursday’s 11-3 loss to the Mariners. Senzel singled to left field in the sixth inning.

Bell was pleasantly surprised that Senzel could return as quick as he did.

“I thought maybe that would be [Friday] or the next day. But he came in ready to go yesterday.”

Ranked as the Reds’ No. 1 prospect and No. 6 overall by MLB Pipeline, Senzel is playing the outfield for the first time this year and competing for the starting center fielder’s job. Running the different routes of an outfield is different than working in the infield.

“I think we got lucky there that it was just minor, like a reminder to take care of his legs and making sure we’re doing everything we can to help him adjust to a completely different position both with the way you run and the way you throw,” Bell said. “I think we’ll just be on top of it even more.”

Casali makes spring debut

In his first game of spring, backup catcher Curt Casali went 1-for-2 with a leadoff single in the first inning on Thursday. Casali, who started as the designated hitter, was working his way back from left hip surgery in October to repair the labrum.

“The DH part, we were saying middle of the month. From a catching standpoint, I think it’s the 10th he’ll catch,” Bell said. “That’s pretty much been the plan all along.”

Bell remembers Ichiro

During Thursday’s game, Bell saw a former teammate in the opposing dugout in Ichiro Suzuki. The Japanese outfield great arrived to Seattle in 2001, where Bell was a third baseman.

“Nobody knew what to expect really from him coming over from Japan,” Bell said. “He was almost immediately a superstar. I remember in Spring Training, he has this plan like he is an artist at the plate. … He didn’t hit a ball out of the infield, I don’t think, the entire [spring]. He just chopped the ball down to the left side. Finally, Lou Piniella, our manager, got really concerned and he was like talking him into it, ‘Ichiro, just hit one home run, please, in BP.’ And he wouldn’t do it. We went into the season having no idea what this guy [would do]. It was all a part of his plan. He’s still doing it. It’s really incredible.”

Up next

Vladimir Gutierrez, the Reds' No. 8 prospect, will start Friday’s 3:05 p.m. ET game vs. the Royals in Surprise. Also scheduled to pitch are top relievers Raisel Iglesias and Jared Hughes.