"Aaron Harang thought he was going to miss one start – not almost two months.

"I didn't think it would be this long – not at all," he said. "I thought I'd be back right after the All-Star break."

Harang will make his first start for the Reds Tuesday night since he was scratched from a July 5 start in New York with lower back spasms. It was minor enough that the Reds held out hope that Harang would be able to start the next night.

But he couldn't, then he had a major setback while rehabbing over the All-Star Break.

"It was five days before they could get it adjusted," Harang said.

He had to stop throwing completely, so he had to slowly build up his innings.

Harang made two rehab starts at Triple-A Louisville. He allowed 11 runs in 11 innings.

"I felt pretty good," he said. "It took me a couple of innings in the first one where I was confident to let it go," he said.

Harang is back in the rotation, largely because of the struggles of Edinson Volquez. At 6-7 with a 5.02 ERA, Harang was the least effective of the starters before the back problem. How long he stays in the rotation probably depends on how effective he is.

Harang is in the final year of his contract with the Reds. The club holds an option with a $2.5 million buyout.

How all that plays out remains to be seen.

"It will be nice to get back out there and toe the rubber and compete," Harang said. "