Correa hopes to return before series’ end
Despite his initial “99 percent” feeling he would return to the lineup Monday, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa was sidelined Tuesday for a second consecutive game because of lingering soreness in his right hand.
Correa said Tuesday he woke up “feeling a lot better” compared to Monday and hoped to return to the lineup “in one or two days.” He did not test his hand by swinging a bat Tuesday because it was still difficult to grip, he said.
Correa’s hand didn’t look swollen but was still “really sore,” he said, much more so than he anticipated Sunday in Oakland when only a day removed from taking a 94 mph fastball off the hand. His availability Tuesday was limited to pinch running. He said he thought he would “push it a little bit more” on Wednesday, when the Astros and Angels play the third game of their four-game series.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday the team has not considered placing Correa on the 10-day disabled list despite having only a two-man bench in his absence. Alex Bregman manned shortstop Tuesday for a second consecutive game, with Marwin Gonzalez playing third base.
Keuchel praises McCann’s catching
Only 21 innings into his season, Dallas Keuchel has on numerous occasions remarked on his chemistry with new Astros catcher Brian McCann.
Keuchel, who will bring a 0.86 ERA into his start Wednesday night against the Angels, said after his last start he didn’t think he’d shaken off McCann more than three times total in his three outings.
“His knowledge first of all, but what he sees in the box, what he relays to me, what we talk about between innings,” Keuchel said of what he has liked about throwing to McCann. “Just everything you could possibly want from a catcher, he’s got. He’s also caught a lot of quality pitchers in his time.
“I usually just listen. He talks. But I like to talk a lot, so it takes a lot out of me not to talk.”
Keuchel might have been the member of the pitching staff closest to former Astros catcher Jason Castro, the lefthander’s batterymate throughout his rise from fringe prospect to 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner.
His relationship with McCann is off to a strong start, too.
“I think he’s challenged him, which is something that you have to do with Dallas,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “Pitch usage is big with (Keuchel) — how much to implement his cutter versus his fastball, the usage of the change. … I think Brian’s been good for him to emphasize pitching in before going straight to the changeup and getting hitters to respect both sides of the plate.”
When asked for an example of the knowledge McCann has imparted on him, Keuchel opted for humor as he is wont to do. He joked McCann told him not to shave his beard.
“Why?” a reporter inquired.
“Because we’re going to be beard brothers,” Keuchel quipped.
Odds and ends
The Astros will miss Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer during their weekend series at Tropicana Field. Archer, who has a 2.21 ERA in his first three starts, is scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. … Astros top pitching prospect Francis Martes is scheduled to make his third start for Class AAA Fresno on Saturday. The 21-year-old righthander has yet to allow a run through 91⁄3 innings but has issued nine walks. … Journeyman righthander Cesar Valdez, who spent last season with the Astros organization in Class AAA, will make a spot start for the Athletics on Thursday.