HOUSTON -- Currently on the seven-day concussion disabled list, Astros catcher Brian McCann went through a 20-minute, monitored cardio workout Monday, and says he "feels much better" than he did Saturday, when he initially reported the issue.
On May 14, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge barely clipped a 97-mph fastball, which then smashed into the left side of McCann's facemask. Since the incident he believes caused the concussion, McCann has been behind the plate twice -- once in Miami last week and against the Indians on Friday.
"I got hit with 97 [mph] square in the face," McCann said. "So, it comes with the position. You know you never want this to happen, but I needed to take the next seven or eight days to heal up."
After battling through on-and-off "fogginess," as McCann described the issue, he informed manager A.J. Hinch of the lingering issue Saturday, before going on the DL.
"We flew to Miami, I had an off-day. Played one game, had an off-day. So I've only played two games in five or six days, and I kept telling myself, 'The next day, I'll be good,'" McCann said. "Then, Saturday I woke up, and felt like I needed to say something."
McCann said he's had a concussion before. After the designated seven days on the disabled list, he said he was back to normal. But McCann could possibly take longer than seven days to heal this time. However, his health is clearly progressing, Hinch said.
"Brian's been doing well," Hinch said. "He's getting better and better. They're getting his heart rate up, which is part of the protocol to rehab. He's not doing any baseball activities, but if he responds well, that'll be the next step for him. But I know he's feeling better."
McCann led the Astros with 25 RBIs before going on the DL.
Juan Centeno, a 27-year-old catcher who joined the Astros from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday, is expected to get a start this week, Hinch said Sunday.