masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Tsuyoshi Wada will throw off a regular mound today at 11:15 a.m.

Wada threw off a half-mound three times last week. He hasn’t stood on a regular mound since pitching for Triple-A Norfolk on April 19, 2012, when he lasted 2 2/3 innings and allowed six runs and six hits, walked four and struck out one.

The Orioles shut him down after that rehab start, and he underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left elbow the following month.

“I asked him, ‘When’s the last…SARASOTA, Fla. – Tsuyoshi Wada will throw off a regular mound today at 11:15 a.m.

Wada threw off a half-mound three times last week. He hasn’t stood on a regular mound since pitching for Triple-A Norfolk on April 19, 2012, when he lasted 2 2/3 innings and allowed six runs and six hits, walked four and struck out one.

The Orioles shut him down after that rehab start, and he underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left elbow the following month.

wada throws bullpen.jpg“I asked him, ‘When’s the last time you threw on a mound?’ Because I knew the answer. And he knew it to the day,” said manager Buck Showalter.

“This is a good day for him. There’s a little different look in his face today. He was in the weight room earlier getting loose. It’s been a long road for him.

“Big day not only for him, but potentially for us. We’ve got a chance to get a real good pitcher back. He’s passed every test so far.”

The Orioles could place Wada on the 60-day disabled list later this spring to free up a spot on their 40-man roster. His return date likely would be May 30.

“Let’s see how the next couple of weeks go,” Showalter said.

Showalter has arranged a simulated game Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. on one of the back fields while the Orioles travel to Bradenton to play the Pittsburgh Pirates. Miguel Gonzalez is expected to pitch – he told me this morning that he was throwing batting practice that day, which is pretty much the same thing – and Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen also could get on the mound, since they haven’t started in a Grapefruit League game.

Chris Tillman, Todd Redmond, Steve Johnson and Dylan Bundy are scheduled to pitch Tuesday against the Pirates, who have listed Wandy Rodriguez, Andy Oliver, Vin Mazzaro, Bryan Morris, Hunter Strickland, Duke Welker and Mike Zagurski as their pitchers.

Jake Arrieta will start Wednesday in a split-squad game against the New York Yankees in Tampa. The Yankees will use Nik Turley, Matt Daley, Preston Clairborne, Josh Spence, Cody Eppley and Mark Montgomery.

Left-hander Zach Britton will make his second spring start Wednesday in a 7:05 p.m. split-squad game against the Boston Red Sox in Sarasota. The Red Sox are sending Franklin Morales, Drake Britton, former Oriole Koji Uehara, Daniel Bard, Anthony Carter and former Orioles farmhands Pedro Beato and Oscar Villarreal.