Phoenix ? Arizona’s Curt Schilling was cleared to return from the disabled list Thursday and will make his first start in nearly six weeks against the San Francisco Giants Saturday.

Schilling, the right-hander in the Diamondbacks’ two-ace tandem with Randy Johnson, broke his pitching hand May 30.

No roster move involving Schilling was immediately made.

Schilling (4-3), who was second to Johnson in last year’s NL Cy Young Award voting, won’t be available for interviews until this afternoon. But manager Bob Brenly was obviously pleased with Schilling’s progress.

“With what he’s accomplished the last couple of years, it gives me a big boost knowing he’s going to be back out there on the mound,” Brenly said. “But I think the rest of our team is just going to keep doing what they’ve been doing.”

Using a patched-up rotation, the Diamondbacks have won 18 of their last 21 games and went into Wednesday’s action trailing the Giants by four games in the NL West.

Schilling was injured in San Diego. Ramon Vazquez’s comebacker hit him on the index finger on the opening pitch, but Schilling stayed in the game until a line drive by Sean Burroughs struck him on the back of the hand in the seventh inning.

Initial X-rays showed no breaks, but an MRI exam June 3 revealed a hairline fracture that forced Schilling to wear a splint for three weeks before he was able to begin throwing.

Schilling went on the DL retroactive to May 31. It was his second stint there this season — he was out April 18-May 2 because of an appendectomy.

Brenly denied Schilling was rushed back to face the Giants.

“We wanted to get Schill back on the mound as quickly as we could when it was medically sound to send him back out there, and the timing is great,” Brenly said. “I know it’s going to create a lot of buzz.”

Johnson, who went on the DL April 28 after a right knee operation, won’t be back until after the All-Star break.

The left-hander pitched Thursday night in a rehab start with Double-A El Paso. Johnson pitched four perfect innings for Triple-A Tucson on July 5.

In an unrelated move, the Diamondbacks optioned left-hander Chris Capuano, who earned his first major league win with a seven-inning effort in Wednesday night’s 8-3 win over the Padres, to Tucson and recalled outfielder Luis Terrero.