Hinch ‘encouraged’ by McCullers’ progress
OAKLAND, Calif. — Lance McCullers’ next rehab start will, like his last, come in an extended spring training game.
The Astros’ starter will pitch four or five innings and likely 60 to 75 pitches Monday in Florida. A mid-week bullpen session should follow, after which the team will assess whether it’s time for the pitcher to continue his rehab assignment with the organization’s Class AAA or Class AA affiliate.
McCullers felt good after pitching three innings in extended spring training Wednesday and following his bullpen session in Florida on Friday, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.
Issues recovering between starts stalled the 22-year-old righthander’s rehab assignment after a three-inning outing April 11, so Monday’s outing will be his most extensive yet. He began the season on the disabled list because of a mid-March bout of shoulder soreness that set him back in spring training.
“I’m encouraged by the continual good news, which is something that we’ve needed to hear,” Hinch said.
Gomez returns to starting lineup
Two nights after suffering a right hand contusion, outfielder Carlos Gomez was back in the Astros’ lineup, playing center field and batting seventh in Friday night’s series opener against the Athletics.
Gomez exited Wednesday’s 7-4 win against the Mariners in the fourth inning after he was hit on the hand by an 87 mph sinker from Seattle right- hander Hisashi Iwakuma. X-rays were negative, and Gomez let Astros manager A.J. Hinch know Friday afternoon that he was fit to play.
“It’s a little sore,” Gomez said, “but noth- ing (to the point where) I can’t do my best and play to the level that I should be playing.”
Gomez, 30, has endured a woeful April in his first full season with Houston. He came into Friday batting .197 and without a home run in 76 at-bats.
His .478 OPS ranked 181st out of 184 major leaguers who had garnered 70 plate appearances before Friday.
The Astros are playing with only four outfielders on their active roster. Jake Marisnick, optioned to Class AAA Fresno after Sunday night’s 12-inning loss to the Boston Red Red Sox, is not eligible to be recalled until Thursday unless a player on the major-league roster needs to be placed on the disabled list before then.
“I think the day off came at a good time for (Gomez), and really with no structural damage it’s just (a matter of ) the strength of his hand and the ability to grip the bat,” Hinch said. “I trust his judgment. He’s been around the league for a long time.”
Odds and ends
Tyler White was back in the Astros’ lineup Friday batting sixth after getting Wednesday’s game off ahead of Thursday’s off day. The rookie first baseman came into the weekend with only six hits in his previous 47 at-bats since his last multi-hit game on April 11. …
Jesse Hahn will start for the Athletics on Saturday opposed to the previously scheduled Kendall Graveman. Hahn, a 26-year-old righthander who will be making his first major-league start of the season, recorded a 2.04 ERA in four starts with Class AAA Nashville to begin the season. Veteran lefthander Rich Hill is still slated to start Sunday for Oakland opposite Astros righthander Doug Fister.