Hinch in no hurry to name starter for opening day
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Several major league managers already have named their opening-day starters this year, with the New York Mets’ Terry Collins becoming the latest Thursday when he tabbed Noah Syndergaard.
Don’t expect A.J. Hinch to join the club all that soon. Considering Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers finished last season injured, the Astros manager will allow at least part of spring training to unfold before making any sort of declaration about who will start April 3 against Seattle.
“I want to see them on the mound, and I want to see them healthy,” Hinch said. “I think right now distinctions like that are very premature on our particular team.
“I understand (announcing it this early) if everybody was fully healthy and had finished the season healthy. I certainly have a plan in place that I expect it to be. But we’ve got some tests to answer when it comes to getting over last season’s health issues and into the season. What I care about as the manager is both of those guys being healthy.”
Keuchel, who missed the final five weeks of last season because of inflammation in his rotator cuff, is five bullpen sessions into his throwing program as he readies for the season. He was scheduled to throw his sixth bullpen session Thursday but was sent home with the flu.
McCullers, who didn’t pitch after Aug. 2 last year because of an elbow sprain, threw his fifth bullpen session of the year Thursday, his first time pitching to new Astros catcher Brian McCann.
The Astros play their first spring training game Feb. 25, but Keuchel and McCullers probably will be among the last of the team’s pitchers to make their Grapefruit League debuts.
Helped by tacos, Giles adds bulk
Ken Giles went into the offseason with a clear No. 1 goal: getting stronger.
Giles isn’t sure exactly how much muscle he added this winter, but his extra bulk is noticeable. The Astros’ closer hopes his offseason work leads to more durability over a long season that he expects will culminate with a playoff run.
“I can’t tell you how much muscle (I added). I don’t even really know,” Giles said. “I know I ate a lot. I ate a lot of tacos. I don’t know if that helps.
“But I feel like I’m a lot stronger. I feel healthier, and I feel like I’m more durable this year.”
Giles, who spent his offseason in Phoenix with his wife, Estela, and 6-month-old baby Brody, tweaked his mechanics in an effort to get more power through his legs.
His fastball averaged 97.2 mph last season, according to FanGraphs.
“I feel like last year I had the power, but I didn’t have the zip I needed on the ball,” he said. “I feel like (with the adjustments) I have more zip on the ball.”
Tucker cleared for all activities
Astros outfielder/ designated hitter Preston Tucker was cleared earlier this month to participate in all baseball activities this spring as he works his way back from September shoulder surgery.
The lefthanded-hitting Tucker has been throwing for a couple weeks and began hitting off a tee at the beginning of the week. He may be a little behind the rest of the Astros’ position players in terms of getting into Grapefruit League action but should be playing in games sometime in early March.
“Obviously, I’ve got to take it slow with swinging,” he said Thursday upon reporting to spring training. “But everything feels fine.”
Odds and ends
Catcher/designated hitter Evan Gattis is sitting out drills involving hitting or throwing “for a couple days” because of right shoulder soreness, manager A.J. Hinch said. Gattis said he had an anti-inflammatory shot Wednesday. … Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and new bench coach Alex Cora were among those watching intently when pitching prospect Francis Martes threw his first bullpen session of spring training Thursday. Garrett Stubbs caught Martes, who displayed his high-end velocity. … First baseman Tyler White reported to camp weighing 210 pounds, which is 20 pounds lighter than his reporting weight last year, he said.