Kenley Jansen threw 20 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium and will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Friday with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The Quakes begin a seven-game homestand that day.

Jansen said he <a href="http://”>expects he’ll need six or seven rehab innings total before he’s able to return to the majors. That means he is still on track to return by the ambiguous target date of “mid May.” Judging by the radar gun — Jansen said his last pitch registered 96 mph — don’t expect it to be much longer.

“It’s always different when you’re facing hitters,” he said. “You’re being more aggressive. Today I worked on stuff and I also tried to be aggressive.”

The last hurdle for the pitcher to clear is covering first base on a ground ball. Jansen still hasn’t worked on that since he underwent surgery to remove a growth from his left foot in February.

Friday, he said, “if there’s a ground ball back to first I’m going to let it go. I’m not going to go to first. … That comes at the end of my rehab.”