Thu 3/26/15 6:43 AM

Masterson threw 80 pitches over five innings against minor-league competition Wednesday, the Providence Journal reports. Masterson had a rocky first inning, giving up four runs to the Single-A hitters, but settled in after that. He said he felt strong -- better than he did in his last outing. There's still an issue of reduced velocity this spring, but Masterson feels he's nearly ready for the regular season.