ARLINGTON -- Left-hander Cole Hamels threw 26 pitches in his bullpen session on Monday without any issues and could return to the rotation as early as Saturday, against the Angels.
Hamels was scratched from Monday's start against the Yankees because of a strained left hamstring but was able to throw off the mound in the bullpen for the first time since his most recent start, on Wednesday against the Astros.
"It went really good," pitching coach Doug Brocail said. "They wrapped [his hamstring] so it was protected, but he stayed in his lane well and got down the mound well.