Jake Meyers, out since early April, is on a rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi and could rejoin the Astros next week in Minnesota.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Reinforcement appears close for both the Houston Astros‘ lineup and bullpen.
Shortstop Jeremy Peña and center fielder Jake Meyers could both rejoin the Astros from the injured list during their upcoming series in Minnesota that begins Monday, manager Joe Espada said.
Peña and Meyers are both on rehab assignments at Double-A Corpus Christi. Both were scheduled to play Saturday. It was unclear if either will need another rehab game or could be activated Monday. The Astros will play three games at Minnesota at the start of a three-city road trip.
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“There is a chance that you guys will see those guys at some point hopefully in that series if everything goes well in the next two days,” Espada said before Saturday’s game against the Rangers.
Peña was placed on the injured list April 13 due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain. He had played in just 10 games before the IL stint. He was sidelined on his rehab assignment for two days due to neck soreness from an infield collision but returned to the Corpus Christi lineup Friday.
In activating Peña, the Astros would regain their leadoff hitter and fortify the left side of an infield that lost third baseman Carlos Correa to season-ending ankle surgery. Braden Shewmake has filled in admirably at shortstop recently, posting a .366 average and .976 OPS in 15 games for Houston.
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Meyers played in 12 games, posting a .243/.326/.378 slash line, before going on the injured list April 10 with a right oblique muscle strain. Joey Loperfido (quad strain) and Taylor Trammell (groin strain) subsequently joined him on the IL, further thinning the Astros’ outfield.
Brice Matthews and Zach Cole have split center-field duties this month. Houston may face a decision of how to clear a spot for Meyers in an outfield group that also includes Cam Smith, who entered Saturday hitting .199 and was not in the lineup against the Rangers, and Zach Dezenzo.
Right-hander Nate Pearson, who began the season on the IL building up from a bout of elbow soreness in spring training, could also be activated during the Minnesota series.
Pearson is preparing as a reliever on his minor-league rehab assignment. He has made six rehab outings and is scheduled to pitch again Sunday, Espada said. Pearson’s fastball velocity has been up to 101 mph during his rehab assignment.
Houston has 14 players on the IL, but help appears on the horizon.
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• Hunter Brown is scheduled to throw live batting practice Tuesday, his first time facing hitters since his shoulder strain. If that goes well, Brown’s next step could be starting a rehab assignment, Espada said.
Brown, a Cy Young Award finalist last year, was placed on the IL after two starts this season. He is expected to require a buildup akin to spring training, which could mean four or five rehab starts.
• Closer Josh Hader is expected to make five more rehab outings before the Astros consider activating him, Espada said.
Hader, who began the season on the IL recovering from biceps tendinitis, will become eligible to return next weekend. But the Astros’ schedule for his rehab games will carry beyond that date.
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“He’s got to bounce back after every outing before we can put a date on when he’s coming back,” Espada said.