ARLINGTON --Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish, returning from Tommy John surgery, will face hitters from an opposing club for the first time since Aug. 9, 2014, on Sunday with Double-A Frisco.

Darvish is scheduled to throw two innings, with a limit of about 30 pitches, in what will be similar to a first outing in spring training. He likely will add one inning and 15 pitches in each subsequent appearance.

If Darvish follows the usual spring-training plan, he would make five minor-league starts before returning to the major-league rotation. That would put him on course to rejoin the Rangers with a start against Pittsburgh on May 27, but nothing is definite.

Darvish can stay on minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment for 30 days. That would allow him to make six starts, if needed.

``You can be aggressive, but I'm not sure that's necessarily the prudent thing to do,'' manager Jeff Banister said. ``He's on a standard route to being back.''