Despite extra rest, Porter will keep rotation in line

HOUSTON -- Even with two days off in a four-day span this week, Astros manager Bo Porter said he plans to keep his starting rotation in line without skipping starts. Porter said the extra days of rest would be beneficial to his young staff.

Collin McHugh, who made his second start of the season Sunday, is likely to leave the rotation when Scott Feldman is activated from the disabled list. He's eligible to come off Saturday, but if the rotation stays in turn, Feldman would pitch next Sunday against Seattle.

Last year, the Astros shut down starter Jarred Cosart late in the season after he had thrown 153 innings (60 with the Astros, 93 at Triple-A), which was a career high. Brett Oberholtzer also threw a combined 153 innings last year, including 71 2/3 in Houston.

Porter said it's too early in the season to be monitoring innings counts. Dallas Keuchel entered Sunday with a team-high 30 1/3 innings, which ranked only 23rd in the American League. Keuchel and Lucas Harrell tied for the team lead in innings pitched last year at 153 2/3.

"I don't think we're concerned with it, not at this stage of the year," he said. "We'll go the rest of the year and see how the innings pile up and how the leverage of the innings are, and you try to make a decision at that time."