Exercising patience with Joe Musgrove’s shoulder, the Astros will give David Paulino a second start.
ARLINGTON — The Astros will start David Paulino in Kansas City on Tuesday to give Joe Musgrove time to recover from shoulder discomfort.
Musgrove has not thrown since being placed on the 10-day disabled list May 30.
“We’re just not ready to ramp up Musgrove yet,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday. “He’s feeling better than when we put him on the DL. We’re going to push him back and see where he fits later in the week.
“We’ve just been working in the training room with him, our trainers have, and he’s mending slowly. We’re being cautious with it.”
Musgrove said he was experiencing soreness from a cortisone shot he received Friday.
“It’s feeling a lot better than it was about five days ago,” Musgrove said of his right shoulder. “I don’t want to miss any more time than I have already. Right now there’s not really a need to rush it back. We’ve invested the time. I don’t mind missing a couple more days if I can be 100 percent.
“I don’t want to go out there feeling 80 percent.”
Hinch said Musgrove will not pitch in the series against the Royals and will be re-evaluated for the following series at home against the Los Angeles Angels, which begins Friday.
Musgrove is eligible to return any day after June 5.
In Wednesday’s spot start for Musgrove, Paulino allowed two runs in four innings in a 17-6 win over the Twins. The 6-7 righthander struck out
eight and surrendered five hits and one walk. He complemented a fastball that averaged 93 mph with a heavy dosage of breaking balls and a mostly effective changeup.
“We’ve got the arms to
do it,” Musgrove said of the pitchers who could fill in for him while hie’s sidelined. “That’s not an excuse for me to miss more time, but at the same time, especially this early in the year, I’d rather miss two weeks now than miss a month in September.”
Gregerson trying to find old self
Before throwing a scoreless inning Sunday, Luke Gregerson admitted to feeling lost.
The nine-year veteran, whose 3.28 ERA last year was a career worst, entered the Astros’ 7-2 victory over the Rangers with a 5.57 ERA in 24 games this season. Batters were hitting .291 against him.
“The best thing to do is just keep throwing, try to find that groove, that sequencing, where you can go out there and feel smooth every day,” Gregerson said before Sunday’s series finale. “It’s not like you’re out there trying to feel for something all the time. This year it’s been trying to find that grip and that flow to my delivery. Everything’s not syncing up at the same time on any given day. … I’ve got to find that one thing that I’m missing.”
His body, at age 33, is healthy. He said he is not experiencing any physical discomfort.
“I felt great in spring training,” he said. “The ball was coming out of my hand the best it’s ever felt. Then for something like this, where I can’t get that timing back, I don’t know what it is.”
Gregerson has faced 30 batters this season with the Astros holding a one-run lead. They have batted .320 against him, producing four runs.
Pitching coach Brent Strom has observed Gregerson playing catch. They’ve talked about his mechanics. They’ve studied video of his motion.
They have not pinpointed the problem.
“If I knew the answer, I’d go fix it now,” Gregerson said. “Whatever it is, I’ve got to work through it.”