ARLINGTON, Texas - Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison are doing all they can to get back into the Texas Rangers rotation as soon as possible.
Harrison is slated to throw three innings in the team's exhibition game against Houston in San Antonio and will likely need several rehab starts before he's ready to join the rotation.
Lewis will start for Triple A Round Rock Tuesday in an exhibition game. He's not sure what the plan is after that but he believes he's ready to help the Rangers now.
"I feel like I proved I can be healthy and bounce back," said Lewis, who pitched five shutout innings against Seattle Wednesday and threw 72 pitches. "I think they're being on the cautious side of making sure I can bounce back with throwing a lot of pitches. Once I prove that there shouldn't be any reason for me not to be up here."
Lewis said he felt fine Thursday and had no issues with his hip or his arm. After he pitches Tuesday the next move will be up to the Rangers.
"I've got to start that game on the first and then after that, I don't know if they want me to start another one or what the plan is," he said. "We'll just see how it kind of plays out. I'm sure I have to pitch well and do what I've got to do to prove that I'm healthy."
Texas manager Ron Washington said it's important than when the Rangers do get Lewis back he's 100 percent healthy.
"Very close," Washington said in his assessment of where Lewis is. "He'll make that start and if we have to reassess we'll reassess. If you judge him on what he did against that lineup against Seattle yesterday he's ready. We want to make certain there is no issue because once he goes into that rotation we want him for every start we can get."
