Yu Darvish set for first rehab start since elbow surgery
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish is scheduled to pitch Sunday in his first minor league rehab start since Tommy John surgery more than 13 months ago.
The Rangers said Darvish will pitch for Double-A Frisco in its home game against Corpus Christi. Darvish will go two innings or about 30 pitches.
While walking through the clubhouse Wednesday, a day after throwing 40 pitches during his latest live batting practice session, Darvish said he was feeling good.
Darvish last pitched in a major league game Aug. 9, 2014, then missed the end of that season because of right elbow inflammation. He pitched only one inning the following spring before surgery on March 17, 2015.
The 29-year-old right-hander was 39-25 with a 3.27 ERA and 680 strikeouts in 83 starts for Texas from 2012-14, after seven seasons in Japan. He was an All-Star in each of his first three seasons for the Rangers.
Darvish could be back in the Rangers rotation the second half of May.
Manager Jeff Banister said Darvish has been eager throughout the process and wants to get back on the road to getting back in the majors.
The 40-pitch BP session Tuesday was Darvish's third on the field. There was another session in an indoor batting cage without hitters swinging on the same day the Rangers had a game rained out.
After Darvish threw 47 pitches last Thursday, he opted for the extra session Wednesday before the first rehab game.
