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Rangers hope Darvish can return before All-Star break

Rick Yeatts / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After watching right-hander Yu Darvish throw a 30-pitch bullpen session Sunday - his first since landing on the disabled list June 13 with shoulder discomfort - the Texas Rangers remain hopeful the 29-year-old can rejoin the rotation before the All-Star break.

Darvish returned from Tommy John surgery May 28 but made only three starts before landing back on the DL. He's expected to get some work in a simulated game if he responds well to Sunday's bullpen, though it's unclear if he'll require a rehab assignment after that.

"He's going to have some say in this," Rangers pitching coach Doug Brocail told MLB.com's Ryan Posner. "We'll see how he feels after the bullpen and then we'll go from there."

Earlier this week, Brocail raved about Darvish's stuff, telling reporters his "hand was paying the price" during their flat-ground throwing sessions.

Before returning to the disabled list, Darvish posted a 2.87 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP in three outings for the Rangers, notching 19 strikeouts while allowing just one home run in 15 2/3 innings.

Though the Rangers boast the best record in the American League with July looming, their rotation has suffered multiple blows of late, with left-hander Derek Holland (shoulder inflammation) and right-hander Colby Lewis (strained lat muscle) joining Darvish on the disabled list earlier this week.

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