Rangers' Yu Darvish ready to make first rehab start Sunday

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish has a simple goal in his first rehab start on Sunday after last year's Tommy John surgery.

"To get the first guy out," Darvish said through an interpreter Friday before the Rangers' scheduled game against the Los Angeles Angels. "It's going to be my first outing, so that's all I'm focusing on."

The three-time All-Star, who led the American League in strikeouts in 2013, is scheduled to throw two innings or about 30 pitches for Double-A Frisco against Corpus Christi. He could return to the Rangers' rotation in late May.

Darvish pitched one inning of a spring training game on March 5, 2015, when he felt tightness in his right triceps and had surgery 12 days later. He most recently appeared for Texas on Aug. 9, 2014, after which he was shut down with right elbow inflammation.

Darvish said the final hurdle before progressing from bullpen sessions to rehab starts was mental.

"That I feel like, 'OK, I'm ready to go,'" he said.