Correa targets 20-30 at-bats in minors
Before he took batting practice on the field for the first time since his left thumb surgery, Astros All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa said Tuesday he expects he will need roughly 20 to 30 at-bats once out on a minor league rehab assignment.
The Astros have yet to disclose when or where Correa will play his rehab games, but his assignment could begin as soon as this week. Correa is expected to take batting practice on the field with his teammates again Wednesday, exactly five weeks after his surgery.
Class AA Corpus Christi is home through Friday but then plays a week’s worth of road games at San Antonio and Frisco. Class AAA Fresno is home Thursday through Sunday before traveling to El Paso and Salt Lake City.
Correa’s target of 20 to 30 at-bats equates to about a week-long rehab assignment, give or take a day or two and depending on the volume of rest days. His ultimate readiness will be dictated by how long he requires to hone his timing at the plate. He said he expected to meet with the team doctor after batting practice Tuesday to again assess his progress.
“I’m very happy with the way things are going, and hopefully, I can be back in there soon,” Correa said.
The Astros have a 14-18 record since Correa’s injury.
On July 18, a day before he underwent surgery, the Astros set the timetable for Correa’s return at six to eight weeks. Correa has for weeks said he feels ahead of schedule. He reiterated that Tuesday.
“I’ve been feeling really good,” he said. “The doctor was impressed when he saw me on Saturday. I’m really excited with everything, and hopefully, I can be doing my rehab assignment pretty soon.”
McCullers throws bullpen session
Lance McCullers Jr. threw a bullpen session Tuesday, after which the Astros were expected to determine whether their No. 2 starter’s next step would be the beginning of a minor league rehab assignment.
The Astros might have McCullers throw another live batting practice session Thursday or Friday before he makes his first rehab start. Manager A.J. Hinch has said McCullers will require multiple rehab outings before he’s ready to rejoin the Astros’ rotation.
McCullers last pitched for the Astros on July 30, the last of four consecutive poor starts that preceded his placement on the disabled list July 31 because of what the team described as “back discomfort.” He simulated three innings and threw roughly 45 pitches in a live BP session on Sunday.
Odds and ends
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday he still expects the team to activate catcher Brian McCann from the disabled list before Thursday night’s series finale against the Nationals. McCann, sidelined by tendinitis in his right knee, will have missed only the minimum 10 days. …
The Astros will assess Wednesday whether reliever Will Harris needs one more rehab outing or is ready to be activated. Harris, who hasn’t pitched for the Astros since July 5 because of a bone bruise in his pitching elbow, needed only seven pitches to retire the side in order Tuesday night in his first rehab outing with Class AA Corpus Christi. He induced two ground-ball outs and struck out a batter. …
Righthander Michael Feliz and lefthander Tony Sipp will each require longer rehab assignments than Harris. They will essentially amount to September call-ups for the Astros. Sipp started Tuesday’s game for Corpus Christi and logged a scoreless inning. Feliz pitched a scoreless third inning. Each worked around a walk.