Correa expected back in lineup tonight

The Astros expect Carlos

Correa to return from his back injury to play Friday against the Mariners.

Correa was out of the lineup for the four-game series opener Thursday, which manager A.J.

Hinch said was a “scheduled off day” for Correa, after the shortstop completed his rehab assignment for the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks on Wednesday.

He will start Friday as long as he does not experience any setbacks before the game.

“I’m super excited to be back,” Correa said. “It’s been over a month already.”

Including Thursday, Correa missed 36 games because of “soreness” and “discomfort” in his back. He last played on June 25 against the Blue Jays. He is batting .268 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs.

“I had some setbacks and stuff, but I was patient,” Correa said.

Injuries have interrupted much of the 23-year-old’s career. In June 2014, Correa underwent surgery to repair a fracture of his fibula above his right ankle, which he said was “more threatening to my career” than his latest injury. He played 109 games in 2017, when he tore a ligament in his left thumb.

He missed additional time this season because of a strained right side, which the team said was unrelated to his lingering back troubles.

His latest injury was exacerbated on swings resulting in no contact, but Correa said there is “no pain” and that his back “felt fine” during his rehab assignment. In his five games with the Hooks, he hit .188 (3-for-16) with one home run.

The highlight of his Corpus stint came when his fiancée,

Daniella Rodriguez, wound up with one of his foul balls sailing into her lap. Correa said he learned of the remarkable coincidence from teammates in the dugout.

“I’m like, ‘There’s no way. She can’t catch,’ ” Correa joked. “Then when I saw the video, it was a great moment. She was super cute and excited.”

Correa said Rodriguez kept the foul ball. He did not sign it like he might a piece of memorabilia, but he imagined the scenario in which he might.

“I’m gonna sign it when you catch one,” he said. “Not when it lands in your lap.”

Swing may be root of McCullers’ woes

The Astros suspect that swinging a bat, not throwing a pitch, caused the right elbow discomfort that forced starter Lance McCullers Jr. to the 10-day disabled list.

McCullers grounded out in an at-bat during his last start against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The discomfort, he said, began after that and forced him out of the game.

“There’s some conversation with our doctors about when exactly Lance felt something in his arm, and it was after the at-bat in L.A,” Astros manager

A.J. Hinch said.

On Thursday, McCullers said he felt relieved to learn he did not suffer any injury to the ligaments in his elbow.

“We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a swinging injury from batting,” he said.

Hinch has campaigned to implement the designated hit- ter in both leagues to increase offense and avoid injuries like the one to McCullers, a 24-yearold with 10 career at-bats.

“Anybody want to vote for the DH now?” Hinch said before Thursday’s game against the Mariners. “That will only strengthen my conviction for universal rules.”

Osuna another part of bullpen on a roll

Reliever Roberto Osuna’s role seems likely to take shape slowly. In addition to getting re-acclimated to pitching regularly after serving a 75-game suspension, Osuna will have to jockey for innings with a bullpen that has been outstanding recently.

Though Astros relievers allowed two runs over the final seven innings of Thursday’s 8-6 loss to the Mariners, the bullpen didn’t allow a run in the previous nine games, tossing 241⁄3 innings while allowing six hits and striking out 35 hitters.

Manager A.J. Hinch said he intends to use Osuna in highleverage opportunities, but the August schedule has made Hinch extra mindful to keep all of his relievers involved. Including Wednesday, the Astros will have four off days in a span of 16 days.

“It is a little bit of a puzzle to make sure that our guys get enough work,” Hinch said.

Osuna threw a scoreless ninth inning Thursday in his Astros home debut.

King Felix no longer in Seattle rotation

Felix Hernandez, who had been scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale against the Astros, has lost his spot in the Mariners’ rotation in the wake of his latest terrible start in a season filled with struggles.

The righthander, who threw a perfect game in 2012, will pitch out of the bullpen for the first time in his 14-year career. He has a career-high 5.73 ERA this season and is 0-4 in his last five starts.

Seattle manager Scott Servais said he spoke with Hernandez before the game and informed him of the decision.