Rays starter Blake Snell to pitch in rehab game Saturday
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Injured Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Blake Snell is scheduled to make his first rehab start Saturday in a playoff game with Triple-A Durham.
Last year's AL Cy Young Award winner has been out since July 22 because of bone chips in his throwing elbow that required surgery.
"I'm excited," Snell said Thursday. "I'm going to get to pitch again."
Snell had a 25-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and expects to throw an inning or 20 pitches Saturday. He is 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA in 20 starts.
Another Tampa Bay starter, right-hander Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 1.86 ERA), who has been sidelined since mid-May with a strained right forearm, is expected to either rejoin the Rays or pitch in his third minor league game this weekend.
The Rays entered Thursday night's game against Toronto on top of the AL wild-card standings in a tight race with Cleveland and Oakland.
Also, infielder Eric Sogard said he was available off the bench after he had his helmet and glasses knocked off by a pitch from Baltimore's Paul Fry on Tuesday. The ball struck his shoulder first, then his helmet and nose.
Sogard has a black eye and said his nose was a little sore.
First baseman Ji-Man Choi, who was hurt Tuesday when he was hit in the face by the glove of Baltimore third baseman Rio Ruiz while sliding to complete a triple, was in Thursday's lineup.
