HOUSTON -- Astros ace Dallas Keuchel will be activated from the 10-day disabled list Saturday and start against the Orioles. Astros manager A.J. Hinch stopped short of saying for certain that Keuchel would be activated before Friday's game, but after Houston's 2-0 victory, the club announced right-hander Jordan Jankowski was being optioned to Triple-A Fresno to make room for the lefty.
Keuchel (7-0, 1.84 ERA) was placed on the disabled list following his May 16 start in Miami with a pinched nerve in his neck. He will have missed just one start (Monday against the Tigers).
"I felt really good," Keuchel said. "I don't like to miss any time in general. I'm a very routine-oriented guy, and I like to do my job correctly and make sure I'm doing my part helping guys out, and not being able to do that has really put me, not in a bad mindset, but not the best. It makes me happy when I get to go out there and compete and hopefully do my job correctly. We'll see if it happens tomorrow."
The Astros are 8-1 this season in games started by Keuchel, and he's 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA at Minute Maid Park, allowing three runs, six walks and 15 hits in 28 2/3 innings while striking out 24. Keuchel's return to the rotation coincides with Brian McCann -- who's caught each of Keuchel's nine starts -- coming off the concussion DL.
"He's cleared all the tests he needs to clear and all set to be activated tomorrow," Hinch said of McCann.