Eduardo Rodriguez

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez throws to the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth inning Sept. 14, 2015 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

HOUSTON -- Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) pitched five innings and threw 70-plus pitches today in an extended spring training game in Fort Myers.

The next step: A rehab start.

"There was solid velocity in the low-90s," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Used all his pitches. Provided he comes in tomorrow and checks out fine, we would get him out to make his next start likely in Portland."

The Red Sox want to keep starting him every fifth day, but Portland has this coming Thursday as an off day on its schedule. So Rodriguez likely will make the start Friday for the Sea Dogs at home vs. Reading.

"It's going to be a minimum of two (rehab starts), possibly three," Farrell said.

A Friday rehab start puts the lefty in line for another rehab start May 4. A potential third rehab start would be May 9.

So he could be in the Red Sox starting rotation by mid-May (around May 14) barring any setbacks.

The 22-year-old Rodriguez went 10-6 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 21 starts (121 2/3 innings) for the Boston Red Sox as a rookie in 2015.