Springer returns from rehab, but not active yet
HOUSTON -- After cutting his rehab stint at Class A Quad Cities short, George Springer is back with the Astros but not activated and is "day-to-day," manager Bo Porter said on Friday.
Springer, who has been on the 15-day disabled list with a left quad strain since July 20, is eligible at any time to return, but Porter said the team wants to make sure the outfielder is fine after tweaking the quad on Wednesday.
"Treatment today, he'll come out tomorrow and go through a complete workday and we'll make an assessment then," Porter said.
Springer was 1-for-4 with a double, three walks and two stolen bases in three games with Quad Cities.
For his part, Springer said he felt "OK," and said the tweak wasn't a concern.
"I felt good, just got tight on me, but that happens at this stage," he said.
What is a concern is how Springer will handle his return, when he may need to ease back into the fold. That would be at odds with the rookie's penchant for going all-out with sometimes reckless abandon on the basepaths and in the outfield.
"If I go out there, I'm going to play because that's just how I am," he said. "But it's hard to be somebody you're not and doing things you don't know how to do, which is go slow or take it easy."
Porter said the Astros may counteract that by having Springer serve as a designated hitter when he returns.