Several Houston Astros players are trending toward returns from the injured list, with the club receiving encouraging news on multiple fronts Friday.
Lance McCullers Jr. faced live hitters for the first time since being sidelined, throwing 25 pitches in a batting practice session at Daikin Park against Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews. McCullers said his velocity was in the low 90s and he was able to command his secondary pitches. His next step will be either another live BP or a minor league rehab assignment. McCullers has been on the IL since May 19 with a rotator cuff impingement and was 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in eight starts before going down.
Ronel Blanco delivered an encouraging first rehab outing Friday for the Astros’ Florida Complex League affiliate. The right-hander was sharp across three innings, limiting hitters to a single base runner while punching out five on 44 pitches. His next start is expected to come for Double-A Corpus Christi. Manager Joe Espada said Blanco is “progressing well.”
Outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. took on-field batting practice Friday and has been doing all baseball activities, including running. The remaining step before a rehab assignment is base running, which Espada said is planned for the next couple of days. Wade strained his right hamstring in his fourth game after signing with Houston on June 4, going 4-for-12 before landing on the IL June 9.
Infielder Nick Allen, out since June 8 with a left hamstring strain, also did on-field work Friday. Espada said Allen has been progressing well and that both he and Wade are “really, really close to joining the club.”
Cristian Javier is slated to make his fourth rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land and appears on track to return to the rotation later this month. Hayden Wesneski, also recovering from elbow surgery, is not yet ready for minor league rehab games but could reach that stage soon, Espada said.
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