Healthy Feldman eager for return to Astros' rotation

The Houston Astros were one of the biggest surprises in baseball in 2015, leading the American League West for a good chunk of the season, as well as making the playoffs and eliminating the New York Yankees in the wild-card game.

With rising expectations for the 2016 campaign, the Astros will receive some veteran support when right-hander Scott Feldman returns to the team healthy and ready to contribute.

The 32-year-old, whose season ended due to a right-shoulder injury, expects to enter spring training at full health, ready to claim a spot in the team's rotation.

"I've just been having a normal offseason," he told Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle. "I've had a few MRIs over the last five months, six months, whatever it has been. Each one got progressively better until finally it was all healed up and ready to roll.

"I wouldn't have wanted to come into camp being behind everybody. I want to make sure I'm ready to go when the season starts and come into spring training and show everybody that I'm healthy and ready to go."

Feldman made just 18 starts for Houston last year due to the shoulder injury, as well as missing time after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee, but managed to post a 3.90 ERA and 1.31 WHIP during his appearances.

But despite all of the lost time, Feldman feels motivated heading into spring and wants to become a crucial part to another Astros postseason run.

"It was great that we made the playoffs and it was a lot of fun to watch," he said. "At the same time it was kind of killing me that I couldn't go out there to play also. It was something that kind of motivated me a lot this offseason to get back because I know we've got such a good team and I know how excited the fans are and everybody is ready for the season to start. I'm really looking forward to it."