The timeline for Derek Holland's return to the Texas Rangers' starting rotation has long been fluid, changing from time to time. Holland always claimed he'd be back June 1, which is nearly a month past. The Rangers have always claimed he'd be back after the all-star break, which is three weeks away.
A try at pitcher's fielding practice a few weeks ago didn't go well for Holland, as the medical and coaching staff decided his knee still wasn't 100 percent stable and he was sent to Arizona to work further on strengthening his knee.
On Monday, Holland rejoined the Rangers and threw a 75-pitch bullpen session. Afterward, he said he was "ready to go," according to MLB.com. The next step? Another round of PFP to see how his knee feels. If it goes better than the last time, he'll be out on a rehab assignment soon.
"We just want to see where his progress is and then we'll decide after that," Ron Washington told MLB.com.
At this point, there is certainly no rush to get Holland back, although you'd like to see him get some work in this season and not miss a whole year. He'll want to be out there as soon as possible, but the Rangers need to approach this with caution.
