AP

Reliever Damaso Marte, sidelined for 2½ months with weakness and tendinitis in his pitching shoulder, is to start an injury rehabilitation assignment Thursday with the Gulf Coast Yankees.

Marte threw two innings and 35 pitches of batting practice on Tuesday.

The left-hander is 0-1 with a 15.19 ERA in 5-1/3 innings and seven appearances this year after signing a $12 million, three-year contract.

His shoulder bothered him after he played for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, and the Yankees put him on the disabled list May 3.