DETROIT -- Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is hoping for a better comeback story this time around.

The 30-year-old right-hander, who has spent more than a month on the disabled list with a neck injury in two separate stints since July 4, returns to the mound Saturday against the Orioles. Detroit and Baltimore are battling for the second wild-card spot in the American League.

Zimmermann is hoping to salvage the remaining weeks of the 2016 regular season after a second half that has become an injury-riddled nightmare.

"It's probably the worst feeling ever, knowing you've wasted two or three months and weren't able to pitch and help this team," Zimmermann (9-5, 4.44) said of his prolonged absence.

It's been particularly difficult when contrasted with what was a stellar start to his Tigers tenure -- he was 5-0 with a 0.55 ERA in April -- after inking a five-year, $110 million deal as a free agent last winter.

"The first couple of months were really good and probably better than I expected," Zimmermann said. "The last two or three have been horrible, so hopefully I can turn it around for this last half of the month and finish strong, and hopefully we can make a playoff push."

Zimmermann threw 80 pitches in his final rehab start with Triple-A Toledo on Monday. Though he experienced a drop in velocity, he felt he was able to locate better than in his previous attempt to return, which was derailed after an abbreviated outing on Aug. 4 when he surrendered six runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Manager Brad Ausmus said Zimmermann was unlikely to throw more than 100 pitches Saturday, but he was far more cryptic when it came down to his plan for the rotation moving forward.

The Tigers have ace Justin Verlander, Zimmermann and rookie Michael Fulmer occupying the top three spots, though the latter will be monitored down the stretch because of workload concerns.

The rest of the rotation is composed of Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Anibal Sanchez, who has pitched better of late but has twice been relegated to the bullpen because of pronounced struggles and lack of consistency.

"We're going to wait and see what happens this time through the rotation," Ausmus said. "... I know you guys want to write in absolutes, but this is life, and life is not absolute."