Keuchel (neck) built his pitch count up to 62 (48 strikes) in what was likely his final rehab start Saturday for short-season Tri-City, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. He allowed a run on three hits and zero walks while striking out five in five frames.
Keuchel is expected to rejoin the big-league rotation Friday in Detroit, although given his pitch count in this final rehab outing, it seems unlikely that he will be able to throw more than around 90 pitches in his first start off the DL. The 29-year-old southpaw has a 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 75.2 innings this season. He is expected to face a Tigers team that has already traded J.D. Martinez and could move another impact bat (Ian Kinsler is being shopped) before Friday's game.