Arrow pointing up for injured Texas Rangers pitchers Cody Bradford, Josh Sborz

ARLINGTON — Jon Gray could return to the Texas Rangers before the end of the week, Max Scherzer could have a rehab stint in his near future and Tyler Mahle faced hitters Wednesday for the first time since Tommy John surgery last season.

Things are trending in a positive direction for the Rangers pitching staff, seemingly for the first time all season. That upward arrow also includes starting pitcher Cody Bradford and relief pitcher Josh Sborz.

Bradford threw from 120 feet Wednesday afternoon at Globe Life Field. The next step is for him to extend to 250 feet before he can return to the mound. The 26-year-old Aledo native was placed on the 15-day injured list in mid-April with what was initially diagnosed as a back strain, but was moved to 60-day IL in May later that month with a small stress fracture in the 12th rib.

The left-hander said on Wednesday that he has healed and healed faster since his latest diagnosis. He was off to an exceptionally strong start before the shutout, posting a 1.40 ERA in his first three starts of the season.

Sborz, a right-handed hitter, had his first bullpen session Wednesday since being placed on IL with a rotator cuff strain on May 9. The 30-year-old postseason hero said before Wednesday’s meeting that he believes he and the Rangers staff got to the bottom of his mechanical issues during the downtime.

He expects to throw two to three more bullpen sessions before starting a rehab assignment and said a late June return is realistic. Sborz made two IL starts this season, but had a 1.69 ERA in seven games (5⅓ innings pitched) between them.

“It would be huge for our bullpen to add another piece like that,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “A high leverage guy. It feels very good where it is. Good news, I spoke with him briefly yesterday; he’s in a good place.”

The bullpen’s 4.67 ERA ranks fourth-worst in baseball despite the performance of Kirby Yates (0.89 ERA in 20⅓ innings) and David Robertson (3.00 ERA in 27 innings).

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