Leiter deals in rehab start, Rangers' return in view

WEST SACRAMENTO -- The Rangers' starting rotation has been one of the best in baseball, with a 3.23 ERA entering Tuesday night’s matchup with the A’s. That number could only get better soon.

Rookie Jack Leiter made a rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, allowing a hit and a walk with no runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators (an A’s affiliate). He struck out four, with all his pitches sitting around their normal velocity.

Leiter is expected to be activated later on this West Coast road trip.

Before going on his rehab start, Leiter threw about 53 pitches across three “ups” in a live batting practice session pregame last Thursday. Leiter has been sidelined with a blister on his right middle finger since a scoreless outing against the Reds on April 2.

Leiter wore a bandage on his middle finger while warming up but had nothing over it while facing hitters during his live BP session.

"I feel like the stuff and shapes and everything are exactly where I want it to be,” Leiter said after his last bullpen session.

Leiter was arguably the Rangers’ best pitcher before going on the injured list, allowing just one run in his first two starts this season, logging 10 strikeouts against one walk over that span.

When Leiter returns from the injured list, the Rangers will have to decide how to configure the starting rotation. The five-man rotation currently consists of Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle, Patrick Corbin and Kumar Rocker.

Corbin, whom the Rangers signed late in Spring Training, made his third start of the season on Tuesday in West Sacramento against the A's.

“I think we wait to see what we’re going to do when Jack is ready to come back in rotation,” Bochy said. “I can't answer that yet.”