Colby Lewis, who underwent season-ending elbow surgery in late July, has been cleared to begin throwing from flat ground after being examined by team doctors over the weekend.
Lewis would have been a free agent this offseason, but instead signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Rangers in September that includes $4 million in potential incentives.
As of last month he was targeting a June return, so any setbacks could potentially put his entire season in some doubt, but T.R. Sullivan writes that so far at least he’s progressed well enough that Lewis’ timetable might be pushed up a bit.
Before being shut down Lewis had a 3.43 ERA and 93/14 K/BB ratio in 105 innings.