Worth noting

By Tom Singer

May 19, 2013

• Shortstop Chase d'Arnaud, on the 60-day DL with a partially torn ligament in his left thumb, was due to play seven innings for Double-A Altoona on both Sunday and Monday as he continues his rehab.

• James McDonald's road back from right-shoulder discomfort has been paved: He is due to throw a pair of bullpen sessions -- on Tuesday and Friday -- then depart to Altoona to make his first rehab start next Monday. McDonald's target in that Double-A outing will be four innings or 65 pitches, a relatively high bar for a first rehab start.

• Getting scratched from Sunday's lineup had to be tough to take for McCutchen, aside from the discomfort in his right knee that forced the move during batting practice: He is a .463 hitter in his last 17 Interleague games, plus had hit .403 in his last 19 games against Houston.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.