MLB PLAYER NEWS

Corbin aims to rejoin D-backs next week

The Sports Xchange

June 30, 2015 at 12:24 am.

Patrick Corbin's return could help the Diamondbacks out in a big way. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

PHOENIX — Left-hander Patrick Corbin is expected to join the Arizona Diamondbacks’ rotation in Texas the week before the All-Star break, manager Chip Hale said Monday.

Corbin has one more rehab start scheduled July 2 for Triple-A Reno, and if things go well, he could start on normal rest July 7, Hale said.

The D-backs plan to keep Corbin in the rotation the rest of the season, although they will closely monitor him for any aftereffects from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March 2014.

“He’s going to be one of our five starters,” Hale said. “Obviously, we will watch his pitch count and we will watch his innings. I don’t foresee him going over 100 pitches (in a game) this season. We’re going to hope to keep him under that and really be careful and see how his arm feels after each start.

“If we have to skip him, we will. If we can give him extra days with days off, we’ll try to put him in that spot.”

With Rubby De La Rosa, Chase Anderson, Jeremy Hellickson and Robbie Ray pitching well of late, right-hander Allen Webster appears the most likely to nudged out of the rotation when Corbin returns. Webster is 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA in four starts after giving up four runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Diamondbacks’ 10-6 loss at Chase Field on Monday.

Corbin, 25, was 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA in 32 starts in 2013, making the NL All-Star team in his first full season. He hurt his elbow in the middle of March 2014, as the Diamondbacks cranked up spring training a week early in preparation for a two-game series against the Dodgers in Australia on March 22-23.

Corbin is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in four rehab starts, the past three with Double-A Mobile. His latest start was his most efficient, when he gave up four hits and two runs (one earned) in six innings Friday during a no-decision against Tennessee.

“He told me it’s the best he’s felt,” Corbin said. “There was a rain delay of about an hour that threw him off to start the game, but he said once he settled in, it was as good as he has felt. That’s as confident as I have heard him talk about his outings.”

The Diamondbacks believe it would be too much to expect the Corbin of 2013 when he returns in July.

“It’s too hard,” Hale said. “It’s been a long time off. Tommy John guys you have to be careful with, as we’ve seen with our relievers here. You can’t expect him to come back looking like he did when he got hurt. It will take him some time. I think 2016 he will be back to the guy we saw as an All-Star pitcher.”