Harrison exits rehab start due to hand numbness

HOUSTON -- Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison had to leave his rehab start for Triple-A Round Rock on Friday in the top of the fourth inning because of numbness in his left hand.

Harrison was making his third rehab start and came out after throwing just three pitches in the inning. He threw 60 pitches in all, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks. He did not strike out a batter.

"I felt strong from the get-go," Harrison said. "The ball was coming out of my hand good. Except for having to come out of the game as a precaution, a little bit of tingling, other than that, I just had some long innings, deep pitch counts. I threw a lot of pitches in those three innings."

Harrison, who underwent two back surgeries on April 23 and May 1 to repair a herniated disk in his lower back, will likely be sent back to Arlington to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister. Harrison missed much of the 2009 season because of surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. That's a condition where a rib bone presses against a nerve and can cause numbness in a person's hand.

The Rangers were hoping Harrison could be an option for their rotation by the beginning of September. He was scheduled to make two more starts after this one.