Right handed pitcher Joel Zumaya has been cleared to play catch but not pitch reports Tom Gage of the Detroit News. “To start playing catch with somebody,” said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

Zumaya had to undergo surgery last year because of a broken right elbow. During Spring Training, the righty was filled with hope, but after just one appearance, the elbow soreness started and he had to rest his elbow.

On Wednesday Zumaya was examined by Dr. James Andrews and came away with as favorable a diagnosis as the Tigers could have hoped for.

“The scan showed good range of motion, good strength, and Joel has been allowed to begin a light-toss program,” said trainer Kevin Rand.

“He’ll throw at 60 feet for the next 5-6 days, then report back to Dr. Andrews about how he feels. We’ll just have to see how it goes in the next week.”

Zumaya was scheduled to be the seventh-man pitcher, but due to his injury the Tigers had to look into other options. Right handed pitcher Ryan Perry was also in the team’s plans for the seventh inning, but he was placed on the 15-day Disabled List with an eye infection.

“He has a two-part problem,” Rand said about Perry. “He has an infection in his left eye plus inflammation. So he’s not able to use his contacts.”

“He probably won’t use his contacts for the next seven days. It has to clear up.”

The 26-year-old signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the team back in January. He had a 2-1 record with a 2.58 ERA in 38.1 innings with the Tigers in 2010.