HOUSTON -- Nearly a month after being placed on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, catcher Josh Phegley is getting close to rejoining the Athletics.
Phegley went 2-for-7 with an RBI and three strikeouts in consecutive rehab games for Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday and Thursday. He'll still need more at-bats in the Minors and the A's aren't rushing Phegley's return, manager Bob Melvin said.
"He feels good," Melvin said. "He's going to play multiple games. It's not like it's a speed-up process and get him back here."
Phegley, 29, was batting .205 with 26 hits in 47 games before hitting the shelf on July 25. He entered Friday having missed 22 games with the oblique issue. He also missed seven games from May 4-11 while on the concussion DL.
Thanks largely to the presence of catchers Bruce Maxwell and Dustin Garneau -- Oakland's starter on Friday who was claimed off waivers from Colorado on Aug. 3 -- the club prefers for Phegley to see more Minor League at-bats.
Garneau is hitting .154 in six games since joining the A's earlier this month, and Maxwell is 6-for-12 with six doubles against the Astros this season. Maxwell is slashing .230 vs. right-handed pitching and .143 against lefties, one of which Houston sent out Friday night in ace Dallas Keuchel.
"We feel comfortable with Garneau to the extent where he will play quite a few games," Melvin said. "Once [Phegley] comes back here, it's not a rush, like typically it is when you lose a catcher and you're looking to get him back as quickly as you can. So he'll get plenty of at-bats."
Roster move
• Right-hander Zach Neal cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, the club announced Friday.