McHugh (back) threw off a mound Friday and will do so again Sunday, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

EDGE Analysis

McHugh has been on the injured list since Sunday with a lower-back strain, but the fact that he's already advanced to mound work suggests it won't be a long absence. He'll be eligible to return Wednesday, though it's not yet clear if that's his target return date.

McHugh was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a strain in his lower back.

EDGE Analysis

The 33-year-old apparently suffered the injury Saturday while recording only one out and surrendering one run on two hits. McHugh will be eligible to return April 28, though it's unclear if he's expected to be healthy at that point. Chris Mazza was recalled from the taxi squad in a corresponding move.

McHugh (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits while striking out one across one inning in Sunday's loss against the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

McHugh came into the game in the 10th inning and recorded two outs rather quickly, but the wheels came off since then -- he gave up three straight hits that resulted in four runs before he was able to close things out. The fact that he tossed 16 of his 24 pitches for strikes is certainly an encouraging sign going forward, but that's where the positives end for the veteran right-hander, who has now allowed three earned runs in two of his three relief appearances this season.

McHugh fired three scoreless innings in a loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday, allowing four hits and no walks while recording two strikeouts.

EDGE Analysis

McHugh had a rough landing against the Marlins on Saturday in his first regular-season appearance since August 2019, but that outing may have served to work out a few kinks. The right-hander's long-relief stint Thursday seems like precisely the type of assignment that's tailor made for the versatile McHugh as he continues to reacclimate to big-league bats -- a low-leverage, innings-eating scenario following a rough performance by the starting pitcher. The fact McHugh got 33 of his 45 pitches into the strike zone Wednesday was also encouraging, considering he managed to do so with only 12 of his 26 offerings in his first appearance.

McHugh surrendered three earned runs on three hits and a walk over one inning of relief in a loss to the Marlins on Saturday. He struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran was tagged by Adam Duvall for a solo home run for one of the three runs notched against him, and he managed to get just 12 of his 25 pitches into the strike zone. The appearance was McHugh's first taste of regular-season action since Aug. 30, 2019, and it followed an uneven spring where he pitched to a 6.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and .333 BAA across six innings. McHugh is likely to work mostly in low-leverage middle relief scenarios for the time being.

McHugh fired two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in a Grapefruit League loss to the Orioles on Tuesday, allowing a hit and recording three strikeouts.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran was able to put together his first scoreless effort in three trips to the mound this spring, an encouraging development after he'd already allowed an earned run over two frames the prior time out. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports manager Kevin Cash noted that pitchers which have the ability to serve as bulk relievers will be particularly valuable as starter's innings are managed more carefully coming off the abbreviated 2020 campaign, adding that he "can't imagine scenarios" where a versatile arm like McHugh isn't on the Opening Day roster.

McHugh was saddled with the loss in Thursday's Grapefruit League defeat at the hands of Atlanta, allowing an earned run on a solo home run while giving up two other hits and a walk over two innings. He also hit a batter and recorded one strikeout.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran continues to round himself back into shape after missing all of 2020, with Thursday's outing going a bit smoother than his Grapefruit League debut Sunday. McHugh notched a scoreless fifth frame upon entering the game before surrendering the home run in the sixth inning, but he was able to inch closer to the Rays' goal of stretching him out to up to four frames by the end of spring training in order to prepare him for what could be multiple roles.

McHugh, making his first game appearance since Aug. 30, 2019 in Sunday's Grapefruit League loss to the Twins, came away encouraged despite a rough one-inning outing, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. "Having a little bit of familiarity, being back on a mound where it feels comfortable to me, it meant a lot today," McHugh said. "I didn't like the results, but man, I love being out there. Physically, I felt great. From a feel standpoint, obviously, it's still getting there."

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander's final line -- three earned runs allowed on three hits and a walk over one inning -- was undeniably abysmal, but McHugh was able to make a long-awaited return to the mound and got some robust work in the form of 25 pitches. The most critical takeaway for McHugh, who opted out of last season as a health precaution and while he finished his recovery from a forearm flexor strain, was that he reported feeling good physically after that workload. Manager Kevin Cash, who liked the way McHugh mixed his pitches, noted he plans to build the veteran up to three or four innings this spring "and see where it goes from there."

McHugh is slated to throw one more live batting practice before making his Grapefruit League debut, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran has been pacing himself in the first couple of weeks in spring camp after sitting out last season with the Red Sox while recovering from an elbow injury. McHugh landed in Tampa Bay in January on a one-year deal and is currently projected for a long-relief bullpen role, but given his extensive, solid body of work as a starter, he serves as quite the fallback rotation option for manager Kevin Cash.

McHugh signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract with the Rays on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

McHugh opted out of the 2020 season while recovering from an elbow injury, but he'll land a one-year deal with Tampa Bay after throwing for multiple teams in January. The right-hander made 35 appearances (eight starts) with the Astros in 2019, posting a 4.70 ERA and 82:30 K:BB over 74.2 innings. He'll likely take on a bullpen role for his new team in 2021.