Houston Astros notes: Pitchers on track for rehab assignments

A cadre of Houston Astros pitchers returning from injuries will continue their minor-league rehab assignments in the coming days.

Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. are both scheduled to make their next rehab starts Tuesday. McCullers is set to pitch for Triple-A Sugar Land and Blanco for Double-A Corpus Christi.

McCullers, recovering from a rotator cuff impingement, threw four innings and 60 pitches in his last start for Sugar Land this week. Blanco, who is working back from Tommy John surgery, also reached 60 pitches in 4⅓ innings in his latest rehab outing at Double-A. Both pitchers were at Daikin Park on Friday for their between-starts throwing programs, and manager Joe Espada said both are progressing well.

Reliever Bennett Sousa will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday with Sugar Land in his return from elbow inflammation, which landed the left-hander on the injured list May 9.

Right-hander Hayden Wesneski is slated to make his second rehab start in his recovery from Tommy John surgery Sunday for Double-A Corpus Christi. Wesneski made his first rehab outing Tuesday in the Florida Complex League and threw three scoreless innings.

“You can never have enough pitching,” Espada said. “We’re entering that time of the year where we’re going to need all the help we can get, and those guys are coming along.”

• Shortstop Jeremy Peña will increase baseball activity this weekend in his recovery from a left calf strain and possibly play one or two minor-league rehab games early next week, Espada said. Peña will become eligible for reinstatement from the 10-day injured list when the Astros begin their final series before the All-Star break next Friday against the Rangers.

• Infielder Braden Shewmake exited a Triple-A rehab game Thursday after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch. Shewmake, recovering from an adductor strain, was at Daikin Park on Friday and underwent X-rays that were negative for a fracture, Espada said.

• Raynel Delgado, who dislocated his right pinky finger Wednesday when a groundball struck his hand, remained on the Astros’ active roster Friday. He went through pregame work and was available off the bench, Espada said.