The right-handers aren’t far away from returning to the Rangers’ rotation but could be a couple of time zones away from each other this weekend.
ARLINGTON — Right-hander Jacob deGrom caused a tweet storm from the local scribes Monday afternoon in the Texas Rangers’ dugout, saying he might come off the injured list Saturday and pitch at Globe Life Field.
Reporters couldn’t hit send fast enough.
But manager Bruce Bochy quickly threw cold water over the possibility of deGrom debuting in five days, saying the more likely route is for the two-time Cy Young winner to work four innings Saturday at Double A Frisco in a fourth rehab start.
A home debut would be more fun, though.
“Well, that’s always an option, but I don’t think that’s what we want to do,” Bochy said. “The plan is still for him to start down there.”
DeGrom said all went well physically Sunday in his third rehab start. Pitching at Triple A Round Rock, he allowed a hit and a walk in 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He said his slider wasn’t as good as he would like, and his mechanics weren’t quite right while working from the stretch.
A fourth rehab start will give him time to work out the kinks before debuting next week on the Rangers’ road trip to Arizona and Seattle.
“I’ve felt really good,” deGrom said. “I ended up throwing a lot of sliders yesterday. I think I threw five in a row at one point because I was like, ‘I’m going to keep throwing this until I feel like it’s where I want it.”
Max Scherzer is also making a rehab start Saturday, though he will likely do so with Round Rock at Las Vegas.
“There are worst places to go,” Scherzer said.
He threw 40-plus pitches of live batting practice Monday afternoon and hopes to bump that number to at least 50 this weekend. The Rangers hit the road next week, and Scherzer expects to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list then.
All continues to go well with a minor change he made in his arm slot, and he seems more confident than ever that this isn’t yet another false alarm during a season in which he has battled a nerve issue.
“I’ve made this type of adjustment before,” Scherzer said. “I know how this goes out. It just takes a little bit to figure it out.”
Left-hander Jacob Latz also threw live batting practice Monday, though he isn’t sure of his next step. He has been dealing with a nerve issue and recently received an injection of Botox near the front of his shoulder as Scherzer did a few months ago.
While Latz expects to pitch again this season, right-hander Tyler Mahle isn’t so sure. On the IL with shoulder stiffness after his first three starts back from Tommy John surgery, Mahle is playing catch but isn’t throwing off a mound.
Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com
