Keuchel: Series vs. M’s to determine next step

SEATTLE — Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who has been dealing with left shoulder inflammation for a couple of weeks, said Friday he won’t try to rehab his injury if Houston falls further back in the American League Wild Card race.

Keuchel, who hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 27 and hasn’t thrown a baseball in nearly two weeks, said this weekend’s series against the Mariners at Safeco Field will go a long way in determining which path he takes. If the Astros, who began Friday four games out in the AL Wild Card race (two games behind Seattle), win the series, Keuchel said he’ll begin throwing Monday in Oakland in an effort to get back on the mound for the postseason.

The lefty admitted prior to Friday’s game that he was told to rest the shoulder for four to six weeks, but he wants to pitch if the Astros rally to make the postseason. Keuchel said the inflammation is where the shoulder bone meets the ball and socket of his shoulder, and it bothers him at the end of his throwing motion.

“We’re going to take this series and kind of see where …

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