CINCINNATI -- Jose Rijo will be promoted to the big leagues on Friday, completing a comeback from four major elbow operations by pitching out of the Cincinnati Reds' bullpen.

	Reds GM Jim Bowden calls Jose Rijo's near-completion of a six-year comeback a "baseball miracle."

Rijo, 36, was the Reds' 1990 World Series MVP but hasn't pitched in the majors since July 18, 1995, when he took himself out of a game because of elbow pain.

He threw one shutout inning for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, prompting the Reds to give him a chance to make his return as a long reliever.

They'll wait until Friday to promote Rijo because he wants his return to come in Cincinnati. The Reds open a homestand against Milwaukee on Friday.

"The baseball miracle will take place in Cincinnati," general manager Jim Bowden said. "He threw very well his last couple of times. We believe he can help us."

Rijo had the ligament in his right elbow replaced in August 1995 and tried to do too much the next spring training. Against doctors' orders, he threw a 90-mph fastball and sliders in a spring game, and eventually had to have the elbow rebuilt.

He came to spring training in 1998 looking to make a comeback, but gave up when the elbow started bothering him again. He spent the next couple of years building and running a baseball academy in his native Dominican Republic.

Rijo kept throwing and decided to make one last attempt at a comeback last June. His fastball has been in the upper-80 mph range and his split-finger fastball has been his best pitch.

Rijo has been impatient to get back to the big leagues, hinting recently that he would give up the comeback if he's not promoted soon.

"This is about as feel-good a story as their is," said his agent, Tom Reich.

Rijo led the National League with 227 strikeouts in 1993 and was named to the All-Star team in 1994. A veteran of 12 major league seasons, Rijo is 111-87 with a 3.11 ERA and 1,556 strikeouts.