Valdez sits

Lefty scratched with a cut on pitching hand.

ARLINGTON — Framber Valdez cut his left index finger while shagging fly balls before Wednesday’s game against the Rangers, scratching him from his scheduled start Thursday and throwing the Astros’ starting rotation into a temporary state of disarray.

Valdez sustained the cut during batting practice after bracing himself on the outfield wall while in apparent pursuit of a fly ball. Manager Dusty Baker described the cut as a “light slice” on Valdez’s pitching hand.

The Astros did not make Valdez available for interviews Thursday despite numerous requests.

“It is a freak thing,” Baker said.

Though the Astros held out hope Valdez could heal enough overnight to make his scheduled start, the team informed Luis Garcia on Wednesday night that he might be needed to start Thursday. Garcia, who went 51⁄3 innings in the Astros’ 12-1 victory over Texas to earn his 11th win, made the start on a full five days of rest after pitching last on Saturday against the Angels.

Starting Garcia on Thursday and uncertainty surrounding Valdez left Baker and pitching coach Brent Strom in a state of flux for this weekend’s series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park. Reliever Brandon Bielak will make a spot start in Friday’s series opener in Valdez’s place, Baker announced after Thursday's 12-1 victory over Texas.

Lance McCullers Jr. will start on Saturday before Zack Greinke goes on Sunday. Baker said Valdez is “scheduled” to return to Houston’s rotation on Monday against the Angels.

Odorizzi hopes to return soon

Jake Odorizzi hopes to miss just his requisite 10 days on the injured list after doctors diagnosed him with a midfoot sprain this week following a truncated start against the Texas Rangers.

Odorizzi departed his start Monday after covering first base on Nick Solak’s groundout in the second inning. The Astros

placed him on the injured list Tuesday.

Speaking on Thursday for the first time since the injury, Odorizzi said he “didn’t really feel anything” when he hit the bag, but a heat sensation overtook his foot while he walked back to the mound. Odorizzi could put no pressure on the ball of his foot and could not find his balance during three warmup pitches before

leaving the game.

Odorizzi initially feared a Lisfranc injury when he left the game, but an MRI determined all ligaments are intact with the foot. The veteran righthander has already resumed playing catch and could progress to running when the team returns to Minute Maid Park on Friday.

“The best way it got equated to me is it’s like an ankle sprain but a foot

sprain,” Odorizzi said. “When we got the diagnosis of no ligament tears or anything like that, it just becomes a soreness thing, and I can play through soreness.”

Odorizzi said he does not think facing hitters in a live batting practice session or minor league rehab start will be necessary before he rejoins the Astros’ rotation. When he does, Odorizzi will have about two weeks to bolster his fading candidacy for a place on Houston’s playoff roster. Odorizzi has a 4.22 ERA and 1.219 WHIP in 96 innings this season.

Skeeters capture East Division title

Taylor Jones hit a three-run homer to propel Sugar Land to a 6-4 victory over Albuquerque on Thursday night at Constellation Field, giving the Skeeters Triple A West’s East Division title in their first season as an affiliated ballclub.

Taylor, who has six home runs with the Skeeters and two with the Astros this season, broke a 1-1 tie with his blast in the bottom of the fith.

Brett Conine (7-3) allowed one run, two hits and a walk in five innings to earn the victory. Ronel Blanco finished the division clincher, pitching a clean ninth for his 20th save.

Jeremy Peña continued his hot streak for Sugar Land with a 2-for-4 night and is 16-for-33 (.485) over his last eight games.