Springer gets first day off since callup

HOUSTON -- George Springer won't have to worry about following up Friday night's walk-off hit.

The rookie right fielder got Saturday off, ending a string of 15 straight starts since his mid-April callup.

"It's … just a breather," Porter said. "He's played every day since he's been here. Started thinking about it midway through the game yesterday. Sometimes, we have to protect them from themselves. And I think it's a good day for him to take a step back, relax a little bit, look at the game from a different perspective and get back in there tomorrow and be ready to go."

The touted Springer may have been pressing during his first few weeks, only hitting .180 and committing some head-scratching errors in the outfield while batting cleanup.

But the game-winner he chopped to knock off the Mariners in 11 innings may unshackle Springer from some of the burden-high expectations put on him.

"That was part of my thought process," Porter said. "I was really excited that he was able to get that game-winning hit. Obviously, it was big for the team. It was big for him. And I think it kind of just helps this whole process here of giving him a day to kind of step back and move forward from there."

Alex Presley got the start in Springer's place, with reserve Marwin Gonzalez manning the left-field spot to create a seldom-seen outfield for the Astros.