Philadelphia — Closer Rafael Soriano could be ready to rejoin the Braves next week, and sounds excited that John Smoltz and Mike Gonzalez might be added to the bullpen soon after.

Soriano had a pain-free throwing session off the mound Tuesday and said it was the best he's felt since going on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis just over a month ago.

Smoltz is rehabbing from an inflamed shoulder and will move to the bullpen when he returns from the DL, perhaps as soon as late May.

The veteran starter was an All-Star closer who converted 154 saves in 3 1/2 seasons, including a National League-record 55 saves in 2002.

Smoltz, who turns 41 on Thursday, is moving back from the rotation because he believes his shoulder can't hold up in a starter's role.

"To me, I don't care [how the roles are affected], whatever helps the team," said Soriano, who could split closer duties with Smoltz.

"If [Smoltz] can help the team more in the bullpen," Soriano said, "that's good to put him in the bullpen."

If Soriano's elbow feels good when he plays catch Wednesday, he said he'd face hitters in batting practice Friday or Saturday.

If that test goes well, he could be activated next week. Manager Bobby Cox said he'd probably want Soriano to throw one inning in a minor league game to make sure before they make a roster move.

Gonzalez is nearing the final stage of his rehab from "Tommy John" elbow ligament replacement surgery. He threw two perfect innings with three strikeouts in an extended-spring training game Tuesday at Florida.

The left-hander is tentatively scheduled to throw another two-inning stint Friday in Florida, but the Braves could decide at any time that he's ready for a minor league rehab assignment.

He is two weeks from the anniversary of his surgery.

Tex aiming for Wednesday

Mark Teixeira's back spasms kept him out of the lineup for a second consecutive game, but the first baseman said he was doing "much better" and hoped to play Wednesday.

He left in the fourth inning of Monday's doubleheader opener at Pittsburgh after his back tightened when he was covering first base on a groundout. Teixeira said it was the first time he'd had any back problems, and he believed it was partly caused by the hard infield in Pittsburgh.

"I'm getting treatment all day, resting it, letting all those muscles relax," Teixeira said Tuesday in Philadelphia, where he planned to watch the series opener from the training room or clubhouse, rather than the hard dugout bench.

"Hopefully, if it feels that much better [Wednesday] as it did [Tuesday], I'm going to try to play."

Catcher Brian McCann hit in Teixiera's customary cleanup spot Tuesday, and backup first baseman Greg Norton hit fifth.

Lineup shuffle

Cox made changes at the top of the Braves' batting order Tuesday, batting Yunel Escobar in the leadoff spot instead of Kelly Johnson and moving hot-hitting Mark Kotsay into the No. 2 spot usually held by Escobar.

"Move it around — just seems like the right thing to do right now," Cox said.

Johnson, hitting .261 with a .328 on-base percentage, was dropped to seventh in the order.

Kotsay had a .368 average with eight extra-base hits and 15 RBIs in his past 20 games before Tuesday, the fourth-highest average among major league lineup regulars during that span.

"Kotsay's been hot, and Escobar's hitting over .300 with an on-base percentage around .400," Cox said of the shortstop, hitting .319 with a .399 OBP before Tuesday. "And I think it will give Kelly a chance to drive in some runs down in the order."

Jurrjens to start Friday

The Braves plan to start rookie Jair Jurrjens on short rest Friday, rather than call a starter from the minors or dip into the bullpen for a spot starter.

Jurrjens will work on three days' rest after pitching five innings (69 pitches) in the first game of Monday's doubleheader at Pittsburgh.

"Sixty-nine pitches is nothing," Cox said.