Josh Beckett injury: Dodgers RHP to start throwing Wednesday

Beckett underwent season-ending surgery six weeks ago to remove a rib that was placing pressure on a nerve, causing numbness in his pitching hand. He has made quick progress since the surgery, and hopes to be ready by the start of spring training.

The right-hander’s goal is to throw off a mound three or four times in the coming month. He will then be re-evaluated by the Dodgers team physician.

Beckett sounded upbeat about his recovery from the surgery, telling the Associated Press:

”There’s still some hurdles to get over, but I feel really good for where I’m at. We were looking at eight weeks before I started throwing again, and I beat that by about two weeks. So we’re ahead of schedule right now. I don’t think anybody was expecting that, so everything’s going good. But I think we’ll know more probably when I begin my bullpens.

The starter is not planning to try and return during the post-season, according to Hernandez, wanting to focus on returning healthy next year. Beckett is due $15.75 million in 2014.

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