ST. PETERSBURG -- Astros shortstop Carlos Correa will take another step toward a return from the disabled list this week, playing in back-to-back games at shortstop Tuesday and Wednesday for Triple-A Fresno.
In Tuesday's 13-10 loss to El Paso, Correa went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and helped turn a double play.
Correa played consecutive games over the weekend, though that included only five innings at shortstop in the first contest before a full nine as the designated hitter in the second. Astros manager A.J. Hinch said before Tuesday's game that Correa would play both Tuesday and Wednesday in the field, the next test for him on his rehab assignment as he comes back from a torn ligament in his left thumb that has had him sidelined since July 17.
Hinch said Correa would take Thursday off, then likely play Friday and Saturday. He could be activated shortly after that.
"Not before September rosters expand and maybe not until a little bit further into September," Hinch said. "It doesn't necessarily mean Sept. 1. Maybe over the weekend but maybe not until Seattle."
Reliever Tony Sipp is also scheduled to make another appearance for Fresno.
In other rehab news, Lance McCullers will start Wednesday for Double-A Corpus Christi, while catcher Max Stassi will catch him as he begins his rehab assignment. Reliever Michael Feliz is also slated to pitch for Corpus Christi, though it's not clear whether he'll be able to make it out of Houston to join the team following Hurricane Harvey this week.