Last modified: Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:20 AM EDT John Smoltz, playing for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, pitches to Charlotte’s Keith Ginter, bottom, who actually hit a solo home run in the third-inning at-bat. Smoltz satisfied with final rehab outing BY ANDY REID FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE PAWTUCKET - As the month of June rolls on - and the postseason begins looming larger in the distance - the debate is continuing to grow more and more heated. Is a six-man rotation what the Red Sox need right now? Well, as Future Hall of Famer John Smoltz left McCoy Field after four solid innings, trading his Pawtucket uniform in for a Boston one, the debate moved away from hypothetical and into the realm of reality. Smoltz, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder on June 10, 2008, will finally step on a Major League mound next Thursday, when Boston travels to Washington. "(A six-man rotation) wouldn't be the worst thing for a short period of time," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said to the Boston Globe on the eve of Smoltz's last rehab start. "Again, not for a long period because guys don't pitch enough. With days off, the All-Star break, you have too many good pitchers that won't pitch enough. But for a short period of time we could live with that, yeah." Smoltz doesn't seem to be too worried about the team's current pitching predicament. "I don't know what we're going to do," Smoltz said. "I can't speak to that, but if it happens - you know, as I'm peeking around today, it seems like some guys might throw a 120 pitches or 115 and have that extra day to be able to do that. Maybe that's part of it, I don't know. It's going to be their call, and with me, it's more or less, I have a job to do." For right now, he's just focused on getting ready for his big league re-emergence. And even though he didn't throw his best stuff, Wednesday night's start against the Charlotte Knights might be just what Smoltz was looking for. He started out strong, throwing just six pitches in the 1-2-3 first inning, but struggled to spot the ball after that, giving up a hit in each of the next three innings, including a solo home run in the third. All in all, he threw 61 pitches (36 strikes), walked one, had one wild pitch and struck out one. He tried out a variety of pitches, including his offspeed stuff, but he said his grip was really affecting the placement of those pitches. That adversity could help him as he bumps back up to the majors. "I was probably a bit ornery with the baseball, to be honest with you," Smoltz said. "It's not what I was looking to come here to do. But I've been down that road before. You have to fight it, and make some pitches and just battle, get out. There's going to be games that you just have to battle." Smoltz pitched two simulated innings in the bullpen right before game time, and he said those went really well. With a laugh, he quipped, "my two innings in the bullpen were outstanding, but nobody saw that." The 42-year-old's overall rehab numbers, after starting out on May 21 with Single-A Greenville, S.C., were fairly impressive: 271/3 innings pitched, 18 hits allowed, 21 strikeouts, four walks and a 2.63 ERA. Smoltz is the only pitcher with at least 200 career wins and 150 saves, all in his 20 seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He last pitched in the major leagues on June 2, 2008. A little over a week later, he went under the knife. The Sox signed him in January to a one-year, $5.5 million free agent contract, hoping he'd be ready by June and be a positive force in the playoffs. Over the next week, Smoltz is going to take a look at some film - which he particularly seems excited about - and "fine tune some stuff" in a few side sessions to get ready for his debut at Nationals Park. He's also looking forward to working with Red Sox catchers Jason Varitek and George Kottaras. But he could be most excited to get a chance to pitch at Fenway Park - although that might not happen for another three weeks. "You have to be on your game," Smoltz said. "You have to make some pitches because of the wall on the left and the short porch on the right, so it always makes you feel like you have to make really good pitches. Fortunately, I've been able to do that as a visitor, Now, I want to do it as a home player."