Smith joins roster after lengthy IL stint
ARLINGTON — On Friday, the Astros moved shortstop Carlos Correa (fractured rib) to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for righthander Joe Smith, who the team activated.
Manager A.J. Hinch plans to use Smith, a sidearm reliever, as a righty “specialist.” In 127 plate appearances against righthanded hitters, Smith held them to a .214 batting average and .644 OPS.
“He brings a different dimension to our bullpen because of the different angle he throws at,” Hinch said. “A versatile veteran presence is important to us.”
Smith had surgery in December for a ruptured Achilles tendon.
“It’s a big day for Joe Smith,” Hinch said. “Those of us that have been around appreciate the work that he’s had to do to get back on the field. The devastation of going down with that type of injury to getting back on a major league field is going to be really special for him. It’s bummed him out all year to not be a part of this team.”
A smiling Smith said: “I’m so excited. At this level, because the minor leagues is so different — the atmosphere. It’s crazy, man, I can’t wait. This is where baseball’s fun.”
Smith, who has made 762 appearances in his 12-year career, had spent stints on the injured list that lasted weeks, but his recovery from the Achilles injury was a new experience.
“This was the first time in my career I’ve ever been hurt for a substantial period of time,” he said. “I haven’t pitched since October.”
Smith last appeared in a major league game on Oct. 16, 2018, in the Astros’ Game 3 loss of the American League Championship Series against Boston. He gave up a home run to Steve Pearce and lasted one-third of an inning.
“In a rehab game I pitched, there was a guy on first base,” Smith said, referring to his recent rehab assignment. “I remembered I hadn’t had a guy on first base since last September. It’s crazy.
“I don’t know what the hell to expect. I expect to have a lot of fun. I just want to play. I just want to grind with the boys.”
Correa will be eligible to be activated on July 26 against the Cardinals in St. Louis.
Moving around Correa and Smith also required the Astros to open another spot on the roster. The team sent down righthander Cy Sneed to Class AAA Round Rock.
“Sneed was in that tough spot,” Hinch said. “He was likely going to go down.”
Sneed made two appearances for the Astros. Both were mopup duty as a long reliever.
His five innings of work Thursday equated to a starter’s workload and required the corresponding days of rest. Since the Astros could not use him for another four or five days, it made more sense to send him down.
“He did his job, and that role is not thankless on me or the team, but it often gets on that back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues,” Hinch said. “He did everything we asked. He was the emergency guy a couple times in a row. He responded favorably. He’s moved ahead of some of those guys that have been on that shuttle back and forth.
“For someone that didn’t expect to get an opportunity, that had seen multiple guys go ahead of him, he acted and performed admirably.”
The Astros cannot bring Sneed back to the majors for 10 days.
“We didn’t see him starting the game in Anaheim,” Hinch said.
That means Tuesday’s start in Anaheim will go to the struggling lefty Framber Valdez or a reliever, who would be used as an opener to get through the first wave of Angels sluggers.
Bregman sits out, still being evaluated
Shortstop Alex Bregman was out of Friday night’s lineup game against the Rangers because he was being evaluated him for a head injury.
Bregman took a bad hop off his chin in the third inning Thursday night. The impact of the ball drew blood and left him looking disoriented. He raised his hands to his temples and took long blinks. He appeared to complain about pain in his jaw. He was forced out of the game.
Bregman saw a specialist after the game who determined Bregman did not suffer a concussion, according to manager A.J. Hinch.
Part of the medical protocol required monitoring Bregman another day to see how he responded to pregame activities.
“Alex is going OK,” Hinch said Friday. “He’s been evaluated a couple different times.”
Hinch was unsure if Bregman would be ready to play Saturday.
“All signs are very positive,” Hinch said. “He’s going to take BP and field some groundballs and go through what we hope is the last part of this evaluation before we would deem him eligible to play.”
Hinch not sold on stealing first
Astros manager A.J. Hinch does not endorse the new rules that the Atlantic League is testing out.
The Atlantic League, which includes the Sugar Land Skeeters, is implementing four experimental playing rules for the second half of its season.
Major League Baseball will analyze how the rules play out and consider incorporating them in the 2020 season.
“There are some test that are probably more outlandish than others, including the thought of stealing first base,” Hinch said, highlighting the most audacious change.
Batters may “steal” first base on any pitch not caught in flight (the batter can be thrown out if he attempts to run).
Hinch is in favor of anything that helps re-examine how baseball can improve, but he, a former catcher, thinks that stealing first is going too far.
“It’s not really baseball,” the manager said.