18 Willie Bloomquist, SS

Diamondbacks infielder Willie Bloomquist (oblique) is expected to begin playing games at extended spring training on Thursday, MLB.com reports. After playing there for a couple of days, the club will will determine the minor league affiliate and length of time for his rehab assignment.

"He's been out since the beginning of the season so he needs to play some baseball, definitely," manager Kirk Gibson said Tuesday. "To get up to speed, No. 1, and the other part is just to make sure he's healthy to play some sustained games."

Diamondbacks infielder Willie Bloomquist has gone back to swinging only in batting practice after suffering a minor setback in his first at-bat during an extend spring training game last week.

"I hadn't taken a swing with that intensity before and I wasn't ready for that type of intensity," Bloomquist said. "It was just something to let me know that I'm not ready. It wasn't a grab or pull, just a little bit of pain."

Bloomquist has yet to play this season since straining his oblique in the final days of spring training. The 35-year-old has shown some frustration as his rehab process has lasted longer than he had expected.

"I was expecting to be back by now but I've talked to guys who've had similar injuries and they said it took them seven, eight, nine weeks before it felt right again," Bloomquist said. "Does it make me feel better? No, but it lets me know I'm at least not behind schedule."

Diamondbacks infielder Willie Bloomquist was shut down over the weekend after suffering a “little setback” in his recovery from an oblique strain, the Arizona Republic reports.

He has since resumed taking batting practice.

"We slowed him down a little bit," manager Kirk Gibson said Wednesday.