Correa due back on Sunday or Monday
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Carlos Correa was en route Wednesday to Frisco, where the Astros’ rehabbing All-Star shortstop will play Thursday and Friday with the team’s Class AA Corpus Christi affiliate.
Those two games will probably spell the end of Correa’s rehab assignment, which began last Thursday at Class AAA Fresno. Wednesday marked six weeks postsurgery for Correa, who underwent an operation to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday the Astros plan to re-evaluate Correa on Saturday to determine if he’s ready to be activated before Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the New York Mets at Minute Maid Park. If not, Correa would likely return to the Astros’ lineup for Monday afternoon’s series opener at Seattle.
McCullers may be on verge of return
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday afternoon he hoped Lance McCullers’ rehab start Wednesday night for Class AA Corpus Christi will be the righthander’s last before he’s activated from the disabled list.
McCullers, who was placed on the DL on July 31 because of what the Astros described as “back discomfort,” pitched five innings in Frisco, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk and striking out two. He threw 60 pitches.
It was the second start of McCullers’ rehab assignment. He pitched only three innings for Class AAA Fresno on Friday, allowing three runs and walking five.
Pitch to face ends prospect’s season
Astros Class AAA infielder Jack Mayfield suffered multiple facial fractures and was hospitalized in El Paso on Tuesday night after being hit in the face by a pitch.
Mayfield will require surgery, which will end his season. According to a post on Twitter from his wife, Jackie. Mayfield’s operation was to take place Wednesday night in El Paso, where the Astros’ Fresno affiliate is playing. The fractures, she wrote, are around Mayfield’s cheekbone.
The 26-year-old Mayfield, who batted .273/.321/.468 in 154 at-bats in Class AAA this year, has been in the Astros’ organization since June 2013, when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Oklahoma. He split this season between Class AA and Class AAA.
Rays’ Faria helps flood victims
With an abdominal strain keeping him out of competition and away from his team, which is presently in Kansas City, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jacob Faria decided to use his time to help those victimized by Hurricane Harvey.
Faria spent an hour before Wednesday night’s Astros-Rangers game at Tropicana Field signing autographs at one of the stadium’s entrances, where donations were accepted for the American Red Cross. The 24-yearold rookie righthander also will sign again before Thursday afternoon’s series finale.
“It’s tough. These people (have been affected) in a tough way, and they’re in a really bad spot,” said Faria, a Southern California native who’s close friends and offseason workout partners with Astros relievers Joe Musgrove and Chris Devenski. “And then just having buddies on the team and my fiancée’s family’s from Texas ... I just wanted to help out.”
Odds and ends
The Astros and Rangers drew 6,123 for Wednesday’s game at Tropicana Field, roughly a 75 percent increase over the 3,485 they drew Tuesday. … Lefthander Tony Sipp (calf ) was set to meet up with the Astros in St. Petersburg to be evaluated by the team’s trainers and fly home to Houston with the team on Thursday. He won’t be activated until after rosters expand Friday. … Righthander Michael Feliz (shoulder) has yet to resume his rehab assignment because he has been stuck in Houston.