Correa, McCullers to begin rehab stints
As the Astros were beating the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday night, their star shortstop was en route to California.
Carlos Correa will join the Astros’ Class AAA affiliate in Fresno on Thursday for the start of a rehab assignment expected to last at least a week. Correa, who is five weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, will play his first game with the Grizzlies on Thursday night against Tacoma.
Correa is scheduled to play seven innings of shortstop for Fresno on Thursday. His stint in the Pacific Coast League will include at least one day off. The Grizzlies are home through Sunday before beginning a four-game road series at El Paso on Monday.
“We have a program in place that’s mapped out for at least a week,” said Astros manager A.J. Hinch, whose team is 15-18 since Correa’s injury. “Whether it’s shorter or longer than that can be altered by what we see and what he feels and what’s in the best interest of everybody.”
Correa said Tuesday he thought 20 to 30 at-bats — roughly a week of games — would be sufficient for him to hone his timing at the plate. He has been taking full batting practice since the weekend and after about 80 more swings Wednesday afternoon reiterated that he felt “great.”
“We’ll take it day by day and see how I feel,” he said Wednesday shortly before he left Minute Maid Park for his evening flights. “I want to come back and be able to contribute right away. I don’t want to come back and try to find my timing here. … Hopefully, it won’t take too long.”
Correa said he was originally supposed to rehab with Class AA Corpus Christi, but the tropical depression altered the Astros’ plans.