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May 17: 2B Jose Altuve goes 0-for-5 for Corpus Christi
The All-Star second baseman, who's been out all season after fracturing his right thumb in the World Baseball Classic, batted leadoff and went 0-for-5 on Tuesday in his first rehab assignment game with Double-A Corpus Christi. He was scheduled to be back in the Hooks' lineup Wednesday before returning to Houston and working out on Thursday's off day. He could be in Houston's lineup Friday night against Oakland.

Altuve started three rehab games at Triple-A Sugar Land (two at second base and one at DH) and he went 1-for-13, before shifting his rehab down the Texas coast. The surgically repaired thumb feels good, but it's a matter of Altuve getting his timing down.

"He hasn't had a bunch of hits, but he feels good," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's going to go to Corpus and spend a couple of days down there. He knows his timing is off a little bit, so he wants to be wide open when he gets here and have everything be back to normal."

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INJURY UPDATES

10-day injured list

2B Jose Altuve (fractured right thumb)
Expected return: May 19-21
Altuve has gone 1-for-18 in four rehab games combined between Triple-A Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi, where he went 0-for-5 on May 16. Altuve was scheduled to be in the lineup May 17 for the Hooks before returning to Houston the following day to work out on the off day. There's an expectation he could make his 2023 debut on May 19 against the A's.

Altuve was cleared for baseball-related drills on May 2 -- six weeks after surgery -- and he admitted no one expected him to be swinging the bat this early. When he underwent surgery in Houston on March 22, he wasn't expected to be cleared for baseball activities for eight weeks. (Last updated: May 17)

OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery)
Expected return: TBD
Brantley remains out indefinitely after experiencing a setback in his return to action. He played in nine games at Triple-A (24 at-bats) during a Minor League rehab stint and joined the Astros on May 8 with hopes of being activated. But he continued to have pain in his shoulder and was shut down. Brantley hasn't played since last June 26 and underwent surgery in August.

"Very frustrating," Brantley said. "You rehab all offseason, you put in the work every single day, you do everything the right way -- and sometimes it just doesn’t work out to your favor.

"But at the same time, like I said before, I won’t stop, keep my head down, continue to keep working -- always will -- and I’ll be there as soon as I can with these guys.” (Last updated: May 15)

15-day injured list

RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (right arm muscle strain)
Expected return: June
McCullers threw 37 pitches in his bullpen session on May 16 at Minute Maid Park -- hitting 92 mph, as he continues his rehab from a forearm injury suffered on Feb. 14 in Spring Training. McCullers threw fastballs, sinkers, cutters and changeups in the 'pen, and he continues to throw his offspeed pitches -- curveball and slider -- on flat ground. He's expected to throw live batting practice May 20. (Last updated: May 17)

LHP Parker Mushinski (lumbar spine muscle spasm)
Expected return: TBD
Mushinski has thrown in four games in May in a rehab outing at Triple-A Sugar Land, striking out five batters and allowing one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Mushinski appeared in four rehab games from April 8-19 for Sugar Land before he was pulled off his rehab assignment when his injury flared up.

He was returned to his Minor League rehab assignment on May 6. In all, he’s appeared in five rehab games this year, posting a 3.86 ERA and a 0.43 WHIP in 4 2/3 innings. (Last updated: May 15)

RHP José Urquidy (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Mid-July
Urquidy said he would be shut down from throwing for 10 days on May 2 after an MRI exam showed inflammation near his shoulder/armpit area. He exited his April 30 start against the Phillies after 5 1/3 innings after experiencing pain in the back of his shoulder.

Astros GM Dana Brown said on the Astros' pregame radio show on 790 AM on May 7 that they hope to get Urquidy back around the All-Star break. The right-hander was 2-2 with a 5.20 ERA in 27 2/3 innings in six starts before being placed on the injured list. (Last updated: May 7)

RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow discomfort)
Expected return: 2024
Garcia will undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of the season, general manager Dana Brown announced on May 5. The date of the surgery had yet to be determined. Garcia left his May 1 start against the Giants after only eight pitches when he experienced pain in his right elbow. (Last updated: May 5) More >

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