Scott Bordow

azcentral sports

There was one piece of good news in the Diamondbacks clubhouse Tuesday, and it had nothing to do with the 8-5 loss to the Houston Astros.

Center fielder A.J. Pollock told azcentral sports that there’s no doubt in his mind he’ll play again this season. Pollock underwent surgery to repair a fractured bone in his right elbow on April 5.

“I’ve never went into this thinking it’s a dead year for me,” Pollock said. “I feel really good. I feel like everything is where it’s supposed to be. It feels really strong. I can’t remember one time I felt any discomfort. Mentally I don’t even worry about it.”

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Pollock said he’s on track – if not ahead of schedule – to resume baseball activities by July 1. It’s uncertain how long he would need from that point to be ready to play again, but Pollock said he already has a return date in mind.

“I’m keeping that to myself,” he said with a smile. “I don’t want to get it out there and people start questioning it if I’m a little later. But it’s all been positive.”

Pollock said this rehabilitation has gone smoother than his 2010 recovery from elbow surgery, which sidelined him for the entire season.

“This has been just a breeze,” he said. “There’s been a really good progression.”

RELATED: David Peralta could return this weekend

Corbin’s outing

Patrick Corbin’s first pitch of Tuesday’s game was laced into left-center for a double by Houston’s George Springer. It didn’t get much better after that.

Corbin gave up nine hits and seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. The outing raised his ERA to 4.96 and left him with a 2-5 record two months into the season.

“It was pretty apparent early,” manager Chip Hale said. “The velocity wasn’t where it usually is. His breaking ball didn’t have the same kind of snap to it. Good hitters like that, it’s tough not to have your best stuff.”

Corbin said he was feeling fine physically, something he told Hale during the game. The issue: He threw just 40 of his 73 pitches for strikes.

“A lot of the fastballs I was throwing in the dirt down or way out of the zone,” Corbin said. “I’d like to get those in the bottom of the zone and work ahead and be able to pitch inside and throw my slider. I just wasn’t able to do that today.”

Corbin said he never felt comfortable on the mound, particularly after needing 24 pitches to get out of the first inning.

“Everything wasn’t in sync,” he said. “Maybe trying to use your body more and arms behind … I threw a lot of balls and was thinking of what I was doing wrong instead of going out there and throwing.”

Wednesday’s game

Diamondbacks at Astros

When: 5:10 p.m.

Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (2-4, 4.67) vs. Astros RHP Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.20).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KSUN-AM (1400).

Ray has dropped four of his last five decisions, including his last two, and twice in those five decisions the Diamondbacks were shut out. Ray has a 2.63 ERA in five starts on the road. His ERA at home after five starts is 6.93. Leadoff hitters are batting .481 against Ray. However, they’re batting just .241 with runners in scoring position. … Prior to allowing seven earned runs in just 3 2/3 innings against the Angels, Fiers had allowed two runs or fewer in five of his previous six starts. Fiers ranks second in the American League in walks-per-nine innings ratio (1.46) and ninth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.22). He’s walked two batters or less in all nine of his starts so far this season.

Coming up

Thursday: At Houston, 11:10 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (6-3, 4.71) vs. Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel (3-6, 5.58).

Friday: At Chicago, 11:20 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley (2-0, 6.11) vs. Cubs RHP John Lackey (5-2, 3.16).

Saturday: At Chicago, 11:20 a.m., Diamondbacks LHP Edwin Escobar (0-1, 18.90) vs. Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (6-1, 2.09).