SAN DIEGO — The scene was unremarkable by major league standards: a pitcher playing catch in the outfield grass before a game. But for Pablo López, the simple act of tossing a baseball Friday afternoon at Petco Park carried the weight of a playoff start. “I felt like I was warming up to throw a postseason game,” López said. The nerves were understandable. This was his first time throwing since undergoing surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in February, a procedure that ended his season before it began. Earlier in the week, López traveled to Texas for a check-in with Dr. Keith Meister, the surgeon who performed the operation. The verdict was exactly what he had been hoping for: permission to start playing catch. That green light brought an immense sense of relief after months of rehabilitation. “It’s not a small step. It’s a large step, because his arm was moving forward and there was a baseball that came out of it,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Even though it was 30 feet and 45 feet, I think it was very encouraging. He left with a smile. I left with a smile.” López’s recovery has been anything but idle. Shortly after the surgery, he recognized that a long rehab process would test his patience. He consulted with sports psychologist Dr. Justin Anderson to map out ways to stay occupied. Bit by bit, he built a list of activities to fill the void. “Any other year, I wouldn’t have the time or opportunity to do those things, so I was glad to be able to get the help from the team to try different things,” López said. He shadowed pitching coach Pete Maki, bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins, and bullpen catcher Anderson de La Rosa, learning the intricacies of their daily routines. He served as an interpreter for younger Spanish-speaking teammates during media sessions. When the Twins traveled to Iowa for the Field of Dreams game earlier this month, López picked up a camera and worked as a photographer. He also stepped into the broadcast booth as an analyst, with a particular fondness for the radio call. That experience, he said, might open doors after his playing career ends. “We work our butts off our entire lives to get to this point, but we are more than baseball players,” López said. “To me, it was just an opportunity to take a step back and realize there are a lot of other things that I can do to find fulfillment. I think that’s a big realization. My identity is realizing values in character rather than circumstantial performance. It gives me a good perspective for next year when the time comes to perform and be my happiest again.” By traveling with the team all season and staying involved in these side projects, López has managed to keep the season from feeling like a lost year. Now, with the return to throwing, the focus shifts back to the mound. He will gradually increase his throwing distance and volume, building up toward a full recovery. The side quests have been fulfilling, but the real work is ahead. “To be able to start crossing hurdles to get back to doing what he should be doing instead of broadcasting games or translating or whatever else he’s doing, I’m just really excited we’re going to get to watch what we actually pay him to do,” Shelton said with a laugh. In other Twins news, left-handed pitcher Kendry Rojas was placed on the injured list Saturday after leaving a Triple-A start early with a right oblique strain. He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday. Rojas, who has shuffled between the majors and minors this season, had been working as a starter and provided important rotation depth. The Twins will send Bailey Ober (7-4, 4.62 ERA) to the mound for Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres, who will counter with Walker Buehler (7-6, 4.79 ERA).