ARLINGTON, Texas — The day after finding out right-hander Colby Lewis would miss the remainder of the season, the Texas Rangers got some good pitching news.
Right-hander Roy Oswalt was back with the club after getting an injection in his back Monday. Oswalt, who was forced to skip his Monday start because of lower back stiffness, said his back felt much better Tuesday.
Oswalt plans to throw a bullpen Friday and if there are no issues he'll make his scheduled start Sunday.
"I'm pretty sure I'll probably start Sunday," Oswalt said. "Sometimes this creeps up on me here and there and I used to try and be a hero and pitch through it and it usually cost me three or four games instead of one. I felt a little bit in the bullpen but it wasn't to the point where it was terrible but I could feel it getting a little worse. It's kind of maintenance more than anything."
Oswalt said he's done the same thing three or four times over the last three or four seasons. He thinks the amount of extra work he's done in the bullpen to try and work on his mechanics led to the problem. He said he'll cut down on the amount of bullpen work he does now.
"I maybe overworked it a little in the bullpen," Oswalt said.
Oswalt's start Sunday will come against the Chicago White Sox and Texas manager Ron Washington said he'll likely be followed Monday by right-hander Scott Feldman, who started in Oswalt's place Monday. Feldman pitched seven innings and allowed just one run. If the Rangers go with that scenario, that would leave tonight's starter Martin Perez the odd-man out in the ever-changing Texas rotation.
As for the future of the rotation, Washington said the Rangers have had discussions that have included reliever Alexi Ogando as a starter this season.
"I would say don't be surprised if it happens somewhere down the line," Washington said. "It's something we've discussed. If that happens we've got to figure out how we can get him stretched out. You can't take a pitcher like him and send him to the minor leagues and get him stretched out when we're already hurting for pitching.
Moving him out in the near future also seems unlikely as relievers Koji Uehara and Mark Lowe are still on the disabled list. Neftali Feliz also started for Round Rock Tuesday but likely needs at least one more start before he can return to the club.
