HOUSTON (AP) — Houston ace Justin Verlander is scheduled to make his second and likely final rehabilitation start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday night.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.
He allowed six earned runs and struck out six pitching into the fourth inning of his first rehabilitation start Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land.
After Verlander threw 65 pitches in that start, Houston manager Joe Espada said the team expects the 41-year-old to throw 75-80 pitches on Saturday.
“Looking for him to feel well the next day and hopefully get him back out pitching for us here pretty soon,” Espada said Friday.
Espada has previously said that the Astros don’t expect that Verlander will need more than two minor league starts before making his season debut for the Astros.
Verlander will pitch in Frisco, Texas, against the RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. He’ll face Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who is scheduled to continue his rehabilitation assignment for Frisco.
In Lowe’s last appearance against Verlander, he hit a solo home run in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.
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