Valdez says left elbow is on the mend

Astros left-hander Framber Valdez said Sunday that his pitching elbow feels “a lot better” and he hopes to miss minimal time on the injured list.

Valdez landed on the 15day IL on April 9 with what Astros manager Joe Espada termed inflammation in his left elbow. Valdez, in his first comments since going on the IL, said the soreness has improved and he hopes to resume playing catch Tuesday.

“It’s not bothering me at the moment,” Valdez said through an interpreter before Houston’s series finale against the Rangers. “I don’t feel any soreness or anything like that. I’m going to play catch on Tuesday and then we’ll see how I feel after that.”

Valdez said he felt “a little bit uncomfortable” in a throwing session before his last scheduled outing last Monday in Arlington. He returned to Houston to be evaluated. Valdez said he did not undergo an MRI.

“I played catch, but then I felt a little bit uncomfortable afterward, a little bit of soreness,” Valdez said. “And that’s when I said, ‘All right, I’m not going to throw,’ and decided to take care of my health rather than risk something long-term.”

Espada said last week Valdez underwent imaging that showed inflammation and he did not receive any news about Valdez’s elbow ligament. The Astros placed Valdez on the IL but maintained optimism that his elbow issue was not serious. Valdez acknowledged Sunday some initial concern.

“Definitely, I worried a lot at the moment,” Valdez said. “Obviously, this is the arm that I use to pitch and the arm that feeds my family and that I use to eat. So at the moment, I felt worried. But that’s why I decided to just not pitch and take some rest and just not risk it.”

Valdez said his elbow had not felt sore prior to that throwing session. He said his hope is if he responds well to playing catch Tuesday, he could resume a regular routine. He said he does not believe he would need a minorleague rehab start before rejoining the Astros.

Houston backdated Valdez’s injured list stint to April 6. He would be eligible to return April 21, but that is a tight window, even if Valdez resumes throwing Tuesday and responds well. Houston is off April 22 prior to a three-game series in Chicago. Whether Valdez could return then, barring any setbacks, might depend on whether he needs multiple bullpen sessions to build up his stamina after a layoff.

“I’m very eager to play, I want to get back on the mound and help the team,” Valdez said. “But obviously, right now, that is not my decision at the moment. We’re just going to take it day by day, and just working with the trainer, see what they say.”

It is possible Justin Verlander will rejoin the Astros’ rotation later this week. Verlander made his second minor-league rehab start Saturday, throwing 77 pitches in four innings with Double-A Corpus Christi. Espada said Sunday morning he had not yet spoken with Verlander, but that if Verlander responds well, he could start the Astros’ series opener at Washington on Friday.