PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Karstens will return to the starting rotation Monday at Philadelphia, manager Clint Hurdle said after Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Detroit.

In turn, Brad Lincoln will move out of the rotation and back into the bullpen. Each current starter will have his next start pushed back one day.

Karstens was placed on the disabled list in April with shoulder soreness. He was close to returning a couple weeks ago until he injured his hip in a rehab assignment.

Karstens pitched seven innings in his most recent rehab assignment in Double-A Altoona, in which he allowed just one run. He was scheduled to make a final rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, but that was canceled after Karstens threw a successful bullpen session Thursday.

“I’m happy about it, and I’m just trying to keep this team doing what they are doing,” Karstens told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It was probably the best bullpen that I threw from spring training throughout the whole year as far as what I wanted to do with the baseball.”

Erik Bedard will start Tuesday, James McDonald Wednesday and A.J. Burnett Thursday — all at Philadelphia.

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Chris Gates | Bucs Blog
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