Back issue to keep Springer out short amount of time
An MRI scan performed Monday revealed no structural problems with George Springer’s sore lower back, but the Astros outfielder was not in the lineup for the series opener against the White Sox, and the timeline for his return will be the proverbial day-to-day decision.
Springer, who left Sunday’s game in Boston with what was described as lower back stiffness, said that description was accurate.
“I have some tightness,” he said. “It is what it is. A lot of guys have it, and I want to be smart about it, and I don’t want to do anything stupid and make it more serious than it is.”
Asked if he would like to be in the lineup Monday, he said, “That’s not up to me. I’d like to. Again, we’ll see what happens. I always want to play. I’ll see how I feel and I’ll go from there.”
Manager A.J. Hinch described the diagnosis as “really positive. As we said (Sunday), he’ll miss a day or two. Luckily, we think we have avoided anything we think is significant, so he will get his treatment, and we’ll see how he’s doing.”
Springer said this is the first time he has suffered this particular malady but said he had no idea of its source.
“We play a lot of games, and the style with which I play isn’t necessarily the easiest on the body,” he said “It just popped up, and we were proactive about it. This is the first instance of it, but it’s good news, and I’ll go on from there.”
With Springer and Aledmys Diaz out of the lineup, Josh Reddick was in the leadoff spot for the first time this season Monday night, with Yuli Gurriel at first, Tony Kemp at second, Tyler White at designated hitter and Jake Marisnick in center.
Altuve progresses toward rehab stint
Aledmys Diaz continues to improve from a grade-one left hamstring strain, and manager A.J. Hinch said he could be in the lineup as soon as Tuesday “if all goes well.”
Jose Altuve, meanwhile, continues to make progress toward what Hinch said could be a late-week minor league rehab assignment. Altuve threw and took ground balls and took batting practice Monday as he continues to work toward exiting the injured list. He went on the list May 11 with what was described as a strained left hamstring.
“It feels good to go back to baseball activities,” Altuve said. “It’s not fun to be sitting out for a long time.”
The Astros have not indicated if Altuve will be sent to Class AAA Round Rock or Class AA Corpus Christi. The Hooks are home for a four-game series against Frisco beginning Thursday, and the Express is at home through Friday before a Saturday trip to Nashville.
Don’t let guard down vs. White Sox
Sandwiched by back-to-back weekend series against the Red Sox, A.J. Hinch acknowledged Monday that the four-game stretch against the White Sox has all the elements of a trap series.
The Astros arrived late Sunday night from Boston in the wake of a hard-fought series at Fenway Park, and Hinch said the team “can’t just roll the ball out there and expect to beat the White Sox.”
“They have energy. They play as hard as anybody,” the manager added. “You can’t look forward to the Red Sox and the Cubs coming into town for a rare series against them. You have to play the game you are playing that night and worry about the schedule later.”
The Red Sox represent the third quick turnaround against the same team for the Astros this year. They had April 1-3 and April 19-21 series in Arlington before facing the Rangers for the first time at home, and they faced the Twins in early-week series April 22-24 and April 29May 2.