Correa (back) won't return during road trip

Astros shortstop making 'slow but steady progress,' Hinch says

July 21st, 2018
Carlos Correa hasn't played since June 25 with a sore lower back. (AP)

ANAHEIM -- Astros manager AJ Hinch said Friday shortstop is still undergoing treatment and working out in Houston while on the disabled list with a sore lower back but still isn't doing baseball-related activities and won't return to the team prior to end of the current road trip.
The Astros opened a five-game road trip Friday against the Angels and won't return home for a week.
Hinch is hopeful Correa, who hasn't played since June 25 and went on the 10-day DL four days later, will resume some baseball drills soon. There is no timetable when he might be able to go out on a Minor League rehab assignment.
"The update is much of the same, where he's continuing to report to Minute Maid and make some progress but not enough progress to be fully ramped up to be able to play," Hinch said. "He's not going to be on this road trip. He's not going to be activated any time soon.
"As far as the road trip goes, we're just going to continue to go day by day until we can get him fully into baseball activities and fully into rehab mode. We're happy with where he's at. We're anxious to push him a little bit. That's essentially the update."
Correa is working with the training staff at Minute Maid Park doing core stimulation, "rotational things" and getting therapy to alleviate inflammation or discomfort.
"It's slow but steady progress," Hinch said.
Correa swung the bat late last week but didn't feel great afterwards, Hinch said. Now that he's been down for nearly a month, he's going to need a rehab assignment that's prolonged. Considering the lateral movement needed to play shortstop -- the frequent ups and downs, the swinging of a bat and running and sliding -- the Astros have to make sure he has no issues doing those activities for a number of days in a row before they put him in a game.
The club on Friday recalled from Triple-A Fresno to replace , who was optioned to Fresno. Davis can play third, first and left field and gives Hinch more roster flexibility with Correa out. Correa was batting .268 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs over his first 73 games.