Jeremy Hellickson is scheduled to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Rays’ rotation on June 27, but the right-hander’s second minor-league rehab start was sort of a mess yesterday.
Hellickson, who’s coming back from arthroscopic elbow surgery in February, lasted just 2.1 innings while allowing four runs on six hits at Triple-A. He threw just 55 pitches, so regardless of the quality of his performance the Rays may decide he needs more than one additional start before being fully stretched out.
Hellickson won the Rookie of the Year award in 2011 and followed that up with a similarly strong 2012 season, but last year he posted a 5.17 ERA in 174 innings while opponents slugged .450 off him.