Zach Duke (elbow) threw 46 pitches in a bullpen session on Friday.

It was his first time throwing off a mound since going on the disabled list last month. He's scheduled to throw his first of two minor league rehab starts with Double-A Altoona on Monday. Provided he has no setbacks, he is expected to return from the disabled list after the All-Star break.

Zach Duke (elbow) will make the first of two scheduled rehab starts Monday with Double-A Altoona.

That'd put him on track to return immediately following the All-Star break.

Zach Duke (elbow) is unlikely to return before the All-Star break.

Duke is making good progress from a strained flexor pronator muscle in his elbow, but it's not realistic to suggest he could return from the disabled list so soon. He's expected to be re-evaluated later this week.

Zach Duke (elbow) said he was "right on track" after completing soft-tossing sessions on Sunday and Monday.

Duke was placed on the disabled list earlier this month with a strained flexor pronator muscle in his throwing elbow. He is scheduled to throw a side session on Friday before being re-evaluated. If the Bucs want Duke to throw two sides before going out on a minor league rehab appearance, he would likely miss two starts. Daniel McCutchen will continue to fill in.

Pirates placed LHP Zach Duke on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 17, with a strained flexor pronator muscle in his left elbow.

Duke was supposed to throw a side session on Wednesday, but did not feel well enough. He is eligible to return on July 1 and is expected to do just that. If everything goes according to plan, Duke will miss only two starts. His spot in the Bucs' starting rotation could go to minor leaguers Charlie Morton, Daniel McCutchen, Brian Burres, or big-leaguer Dana Eveland.

Pirates manager John Russell said that Zach Duke (elbow) is "coming along slower than anticipated."

He might not throw a side session on Wednesday, as previous expected. Duke was already scratched from tonight's start due to elbow stiffness, but a trip to the disabled list might not be far away. The 27-year-old southpaw is 3-8 with a 5.49 ERA over 14 starts this season.

Zach Duke has been scratched from his scheduled Tuesday start due to stiffness in the elbow of his throwing arm.

The Pirates have not made a decision on his replacement. Duke will avoid the 15-day disabled list for now, but that could change if he's still feeling discomfort in the elbow by late next week.

Zach Duke yielded five earned runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the White Sox on Wednesday night.

Duke mixes in some gems every now and then, but he can't be trusted. He has a 50:27 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go with a 1.72 WHIP. When you pitch for Pittsburgh, you're not going to get many wins that way.

The Pirates are planning to start Zach Duke against Stephen Strasburg next Tuesday.

Brian Burres was originally lined up to make the start, but with Dana Eveland coming over from the Blue Jays, it's possible he won't even be on the active roster next week. The Pirates haven't played many "big" games lately, but this certainly qualifies as an event.

Zach Duke was smoked for seven runs on a season-high 12 hits over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the Braves on Friday night.

Duke came into Friday's start with some momentum, but the Braves greeted him with four runs in the first inning. All told, he gave up five runs over the first two innings and two runs in the sixth. It's Duke's fifth loss in his last six decisions. He'll bring his newly-inflated 5.09 ERA into a start against the Cubs next week.

Zach Duke surrendered just one run over six innings in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over the Phillies.

Duke hung in there and eventual bested Phillies ace Roy Halladay, who allowed two runs in a complete game. Duke, for his part, struck out five and walked two while giving up six hits. It was a very encouraging sign for the left-hander who was 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA over his first three starts of the season, but struggled mightily in his last five starts, going 0-4 with a 7.86 ERA. Let's hope this outing righted his ship. He takes a 3-4 record and 5.08 ERA into this weekend's meeting against the Braves.

Zach Duke surrendered five runs in five innings Wednesday in a loss to the Reds.

The Pirates won each of Duke's first three starts, with the left-hander going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in the process. Since then, they've lost five in a row, a stretch in which Duke has gone 0-4 with a 7.86 ERA. Overall, Duke has a 5.56 ERA and, worse, a 1.74 WHIP. The Pirates will stand by him, but fantasy leaguers shouldn't expect much.

Zach Duke yielded three runs -- none earned -- over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Cardinals Friday night.

The Pirates' defense really let Duke down tonight, but that doesn't hide the fact that owners should have sold high after the first two weeks of the season. Duke's seven strikeouts tonight are his ceiling now as he prepares for next week's start against the Reds.

Zach Duke was pounded for eight runs over four innings in a 17-3 loss to the Brewers on Monday night.

Duke will be happy to get away from the Brewers. They have rocked him for 14 runs over his last two starts, boosting his ERA from 2.37 to 6.11 in the process. He'll hope to get back on track against the Dodgers this weekend.

Zach Duke was hammered for seven runs -- six earned -- over five innings Wednesday as the Pirates fell to the Rockies.

Nothing was working for Duke tonight, as he surrendered seven hits and four walks while throwing just 51 of his 95 pitches for strikes. He had a nice start to the season, but is now regressing back toward normalcy. We'd avoid using him next week when he faces the Brewers for a second time.

Zach Duke allowed two runs over seven innings to pitch the Pirates past the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

It was a shutout until the seventh, when Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer. Duke is off to a fine start for the season straight year, opening the season 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

The Pirates have said that Zach Duke will pitch Saturday night against the Diamondbacks.

The decision keeps Duke on regular rest and pairs him against Diamondbacks ace Dan Haren. Daniel McCutchen was originally slated to start for the Pirates on Saturday, but he has been pushed back to the series finale on Sunday.

Zach Duke yielded two runs in five innings Monday in a victory over the Dodgers.

Duke still owns the Dodgers. He went 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA over 16 innings in his two starts against the team last September. Next up for him is a start in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.