Justin Verlander set for 2nd rehab start this week, could rejoin Astros after that

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- Justin Verlander is set to make his second minor league rehab start this week and could rejoin the Houston Astros' rotation after that.

The 41-year-old right-hander took his first step toward returning to the Astros by pitching three innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday night. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is coming back from neck stiffness that's sidelined him for two months.

"He bounced back well," Houston manager Joe Espada said before Monday night's game at Tampa Bay. "He feels well. He feels good."

Verlander hasn't pitched in the majors since June 9. He also missed the beginning of the season with right shoulder inflammation before going 3 to 2 with a 3.95 ERA in 10 starts. He made his season debut on April 19.

In other injury-related news, Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker took flyballs off a fungo for the first time since fouling a ball off his right shin on June 3 against St. Louis. He ran short sprints, went through agility drills, and hit in an indoor batting cage.

"I'm very pleased," Espada said. "I think he's turning the corner. Now, we've got to improve from what we saw today. We've got to see more of that. He's tolerating the pain better. He's able to move around, and he's recovering much better, which is huge."