Texas Rangers pitcher A.J. Griffin (left oblique) tossed five scoreless innings in a rehab start with the Frisco RoughRiders Monday night. He allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out five for the Double-A affiliate. He finished the outing after 73 pitches, 48 he threw for strikes.

“I felt pretty good,” said Griffin, who last pitched in Midland in a rehab start on June 19, 2016. “I was staying inside my delivery for the most part. I got a little outside of it in the fourth inning and I was kind of firing it up a little bit. It’s hard to locate pitches when you do that. We got back on track and had a decent little fifth inning. It was good.” (source)

Griffin, 29, made his first rehab start with the Rangers’ Arizona League on July 14 and his second with Triple-A Round Rock Express last Wednesday.  In order for the Rangers to clear a spot on their 40-man roster, he was placed on the 60-day disabled on June 19 and is eligible to return Wednesday.

Apr 12, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher A.J. Griffin (64) is greeted in the dugout after getting Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) to fly out with a runner on base in the seventh inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The club needs Griffin back in good health. Starting pitching has not been a reliable factor for the Texas Rangers this season. Now that the trade deadline approaches, various rumors cite that Yu Darvish could be traded. This would leave the Rangers with an even bigger hole in their rotation, pending what came in return for a Darvish trade.

Whether Darvish is wearing other colors come August 1 or not, the team has to find solutions for starting pitching and bullpen arms. A healthy A.J. Griffin would ease some of the concern. Reports indicate he could return to the Major League club sometime this week.

Stay tuned for updates, as they become available.

Follow Blake Cole on Twitter (@blakeacole) for more on A.J. Griffin, the Texas Rangers, and their MiLB affiliates.

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