Springer available but not ready to start
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Though
George Springer ran and shagged fly balls hit into the gap prior to Friday’s game against the Angels, the All-Star center fielder remained out of the Astros’ starting lineup for a fourth straight game with a left quad injury.
Springer is “making progress,” manager A.J. Hinch said, but is “still not quite ready for the every single pitch, every single at-bat, every single inning.”
Though he did not start, Springer was available in all three games against the Mariners earlier this week. Hinch had him on deck to pinch hit during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 win.
“It’s frustrating because he feels like he’s really close but, honestly, until he tells me he can open up and get after it, I’m not going to play him,” Hinch said.
Asked if the nagging nature of the injury could warrant a trip to the disabled list, Hinch was unsure, but acknowledged the club would have to “decide somewhat soon.”
“You look at September 1 is in the not so distant future and you want to see if he can get to that point,” Hinch said, referring to when rosters expand.
“But certainly if he can’t play when we get home, that’s going to be pretty frustrating.”
Another setback for top prospect
Forrest Whitley, the Astros’ No. 1 overall prospect, was scratched from his scheduled start at Class AA Corpus Christi on Friday with “right lat discomfort,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said.
The injury further clouds an already abbreviated season for the 6-7 righthander. Whitley served a 50-game suspension to begin the season after violating the Minor League Baseball Drug Prevention and Treatment Pro- gram. He suffered a lat injury while pitching in West Palm Beach, Fla., during his suspension, setting back the timetable for his return.
When he did return, Whitley allowed 10 earned runs in 2 ⅓ innings while striking out 30 across six starts. He exited his seventh outing, on July 5, after one inning with an oblique injury that forced him to the disabled list for more than a month.
Whitley has pitched 26⅓ innings this year.
Valdez to make first start in majors
Framber Valdez’s valiant major league debut warranted another milestone.
The 24-year-old lefthander will make the first start of his major league career in the Astros’ series finale against the Angels on Sunday, manager A.J.
Hinch announced Friday. Recalled from Class AAA Fresno on Tuesday morning, Valdez tossed 4⅓ innings of two-hit ball that night in a 3-2 win against the Mariners.
Valdez allowed one unearned run and struck out four, showcasing a wipeout curveball complemented with a sinking twoseam fastball.
Valdez will be only the seventh starting pitcher used by the Astros this season. The Astros opted to give Gerrit Cole, who was in line to start Sunday, extra rest. Cole will instead open the homestand on Monday against the second-place Athletics.
Outfielder Diaz suspended 56 games
Astros minor league outfielder Carlos Diaz was suspended 56 games after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance enhancing substance which violates Minor League Baseball’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
A 14th round pick in the 2017 draft, Diaz is a member of the rookie league Gulf Coast Astros. The 19-year-old Puerto Rican product produced just a .499 OPS in 104 at-bats this season.
Diaz is the second Astros minor leaguer in the last three months to incur a performance enhancing substance suspension. Class AA righthanded pitcher Yoanys Quiala was banned for 80 games in June after testing positive for Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid.
Marisnick begins rehab assignment
Thirteen days after he went to the disabled list with a groin injury, Jake Marisnick began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Fresno on Friday, hitting leadoff and playing center field.
Manager A.J. Hinch said Marisnick would play only five or six innings in Friday’s game. He was unsure how long Marisnick would remain with the minor league club.