McAllister slated for rehab outing on Saturday
Indians right-hander will return to mound in start for Double-A Akron
CLEVELAND -- It's been more than a month since Indians right-hander Zach McAllister pitched in a professional baseball game.
On Saturday, he'll return to the mound in a rehab start with Double-A Akron, the club announced on Wednesday. The outing will be McAllister's first since June 2, when he lost to the Rays at home. The right-hander has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 3 with a right middle finger sprain, which prevented him from throwing breaking balls against Tampa Bay.
Though McAllister won't snap off any hooks on Saturday, he's been able to do so in bullpen sessions and on flat ground. If everything goes well, he'll incorporate breaking balls in his next rehab outing.
"Everything has gone great," said Tribe manager Terry Francona, who thinks McAllister is capable of lasting about four innings on Saturday. "Anybody that's been around him for two seconds, you see what kind of kid he is. He's about as diligent as you can be. And no, there's no ill-effects from anything he's done throwing."
McAllister has perhaps been the most consistent pitcher in the Indians' rotation. In 11 outings this season, he's 4-5 with a 3.43 ERA. Over 65 2/3 total innings, McAllister has issued 22 walks and 45 strikeouts.