Mercker will rehab with Dragons

DAYTON, Ohio -- The Dayton Dragons announced today that Cincinnati Reds reliever Kent Mercker is scheduled to pitch for the Dragons on Thursday, May 22, at Fifth Third Field on a Major League injury rehabilitation assignment. The Dragons will host the Lansing Lugnuts at 7 p.m.

Mercker went on the Reds' 15-day disabled list with lower back pain, effective May 6.

Mercker has appeared in 13 games with the Reds this season, going 0-0 with a 3.86 earned run average. The Dublin, Ohio native has appeared in 690 Major League games (95th on baseball's all-time list) since his debut with the Atlanta Braves in 1989. He has also pitched for the Orioles, Indians, Cardinals, Red Sox, Angels, Rockies and Cubs.

Mercker is in his fourth stint with the Reds. He pitched for Cincinnati in 1997 as a starting pitcher, then returned as a reliever in 2003. After pitching for the Cubs in 2004, he returned to the Reds for the 2005 and '06 seasons. Mercker missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery in August 2006.

Major League players assigned to Minor League teams on injury rehabilitation assignments do not count toward the Minor League club's roster limit, so the Dragons will not need to make a corresponding roster move.

Thursday's game concludes the Dragons' eight-game homestand. They return home to Fifth Third Field on June 1.