Justin Masterson threw 80 pitches over five innings against minor-league competition Wednesday, the Providence Journal reports.

Masterson threw 80 pitches over five innings against minor-league competition Wednesday, the Providence Journal reports.

Analysis:

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. He's endured inconsistent results and reduced velocity this spring, but Masterson said he feels he threw the ball harder Wednesday than he has all spring and thinks he's nearly ready for the regular season.