- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Lewis set to return Sunday in start vs. Angels
- Updated: September 8, 2016
SEATTLE — The No. 1 goal for manager Jeff Banister in setting his rotation for the final month of the season is to win the American League West.
The second goal is to get Colby Lewis ready for the postseason, and Lewis will return to the rotation this weekend against the Angels after being out since June 21 with a strained lat muscle in the back of his right shoulder.
“We need to get Colby ramped up,” Banister said. “It’s important to get him in rhythm and lengthened out as best we can. Hopefully he can sharpen up. We don’t know where he is at because he hasn’t thrown a pitch for us yet.”
Lewis was 6-1 with a 3.21 ERA and had garnered All-Star Game consideration before he went down with his injury. They are hoping to get him four to five starts before the end of the season to see if he can get back to that level.
Yu Darvish will start the first game of the Angels series on Friday in Anaheim. Hamels will go Saturday on his normal four days’ rest, while Lewis will pitch Sunday.
Lewis’ return will give the Rangers six starters for their rotation along with Martin Perez, Derek Holland and A.J. Griffin. All will get a chance to pitch although it won’t be a strict six-game rotation. The Rangers have three off-days left and Banister said they still want to keep Darvish and Hamels on turn as much as possible.
Darvish and Hamels will likely lead …