Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczak said Wednesday that he expects Howard (knee) to throw off the slope of a mound by the end of the week, Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pittsburgh isn't envisioning a long-term stay on the injured list for Howard, who was deactivated Sunday due to right knee tendinitis. Before the injury played a factor in Howard surrendering six runs while recording just two outs in a June 18 outing versus Cleveland, he had posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across his first 32 appearances out of the Pittsburgh bullpen.