Musgrove has hopes of making Sunday return
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joe Musgrove hopes to pitch off a mound in a bullpen session Thursday, which, if accomplished without a setback, could pave the way for his return to the Astros’ rotation on Sunday.
Musgrove, who will miss a second consecutive start Tuesday because of shoulder inflammation, played catch for the first time in a week Monday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. After throwing from only 70 and 90 feet Monday, he said he planned to increase his distance, volume and intensity Tuesday.
“It felt really good,” he said. “It was really simple … just kind of trying to get back in that motion of throwing. Not much intensity behind it, not much volume, but just something real minor to get the arm going again.”
Musgrove will avoid having to go on a minor league rehab assignment if he progresses enough to throw his bullpen session Thursday. He couldn’t throw over the weekend after getting a cortisone shot Thursday to calm the inflammation in his shoulder. An MRI he had last week gave him the peace of mind of knowing nothing is structurally wrong with his shoulder.
Musgrove had a 4.89 ERA in 10 starts before going on the disabled list on May 30. He first felt discomfort when playing catch last week during the Astros’ series in Minnesota.
“Signs are pointing in the right direction,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Musgrove’s progress.
Fisher is PCL player of week
Astros outfield prospect Derek Fisher was selected Monday as the Pacific Coast League’s player of the week.
Fisher, one of the organization’s prospects closest to the majors and also a potential trade chip, batted .435 (10-for-23) with three home runs, two doubles and nine RBIs in six games last week. The former 37th overall draft pick came into Monday batting .338 with 14 home runs and a 1.004 OPS in 216 at-bats on the season.
Odds & ends
The Royals will start righthander Jake Junis on Tuesday opposite the Astros’ David Paulino. Junis allowed two runs in 42⁄3 innings of a spot start May 21 at Minnesota. …
Astros starter Charlie Morton (lat strain) will go through a planned reassessment Tuesday with the team’s training staff. If deemed far enough along in his rehab, he could restart a throwing program as early as Tuesday. Given his layoff — he last threw May 27 — he will eventually need to go on a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the Astros’ rotation. …
Outifelder Brett Phillips, the centerpiece of the prospect package the Astros sent the Brewers in the July 2015 trade for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers, reached the majors on Monday when he was called up by the Brewers to fill the roster spot of third baseman Travis Shaw, who was placed on the paternity leave list. The lefthanded-hitting Phillips batted .297 with on-base and slugging percentages of .369 and .589 in 175 at-bats in Class AAA. Phillips, 23, became the ninth member of the Astros’ 2012 draft class to reach the majors. …
The Mariners passed outfielder Andrew Aplin through waivers and outrighted him to Class AAA Tacoma after designating him for assignment on Friday. The Astros traded Aplin to the Mariners on May 24 after designating him to clear a 40-man roster spot for Jordan Jankowski.