Rodgers (concussion) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Rodgers has been sidelined since June 18 with an oblique injury, though he's currently working back from a concussion and nasal fracture that he suffered while on a previous rehab assignment. Rodgers is eligible to return from the injured list at any point, and it appears that he is closing in on his activation.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Getting back on track
Rotowire
Altuve went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored Saturday against the Orioles.
Altuve entered the start of Houston's weekend series against Baltimore having just three hits across his last 28 at-bats and eight starts. He's turned his performance around in three games since, going 5-for-14 with three runs scored and two doubles. Though there are signs of Altuve's skills slipping, he has still maintained a .343 wOBA and 121 wRC+ across 539 plate appearances.
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Astros' Christian Walker: Comes up clutch Saturday
Rotowire
Walker went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles.
Walker singled and scored in the first inning before breaking a 7-7 tie with a two-run blast in the seventh. The first baseman has now homered in three straight games and has tallied 11 extra-base hits and 17 RBI through 20 August contests. For the year, he's slashing .237/.303/.407 with 19 long balls, 72 RBI, 57 runs scored and a stolen base across 519 plate appearances.
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Astros' Jesus Sanchez: Hits first homer with new club
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Sanchez went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles.
Sanchez smacked his first home run in 21 games with the Astros in the first inning. The 27-year-old entered the four-game set against the Orioles in a brutal 0-for-27 slump but has since gone 7-for-11 with three extra-base hits, four runs scored and two RBI over three contests. For the season, he's slashing .250/.331/.410 with 11 homers, 39 RBI, 50 runs scored and nine steals across 412 plate appearances.
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Astros' Carlos Correa: Homers in win
Rotowire
Correa went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles.
Correa opened the scoring with a two-run blast in the first inning before adding a single in the fifth. The 30-year-old has now hit safely in eight straight games, batting .338 with six extra-base hits, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored since rejoining the Astros on Aug. 1. For the season, he's slashing .281/.333/.405 with 10 homers, 43 RBI and 51 runs scored across 451 plate appearances.
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Astros' Victor Caratini: Homer, three RBI in win
Rotowire
Caratini went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles.
Caratini launched a two-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI groundout in the third. It was the 32-year-old's first home run since the All-Star break, but he's gone 12-for-37 with six RBI through 15 August contests. For the year, he's slashing .265/.322/.422 with 11 long balls, 42 RBI, 31 runs scored and a steal across 326 plate appearances.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Early hook in no-decision
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Javier did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts over two innings.
Javier generated 11 whiffs but threw just 39 of 65 pitches, laboring through only two innings. After a strong five-inning debut on Aug. 11, the 28-year-old has managed just five combined frames in his past two outings. He'll carry a 5.40 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB across 10 innings into a home matchup with the Angels next weekend.
Abreu earned the save in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Abreu was called on to protect a one-run lead in the ninth and needed just nine pitches to notch his second save in as many days. The 28-year-old has now thrown 10 consecutive scoreless outings to start August, posting a 13:3 K:BB during that stretch. For the season, he owns a 1.52 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 89:25 K:BB across 59.1 innings while converting all three save chances since Josh Hader (shoulder) went on the injured list.
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Astros' Yainer Diaz: Getting rare rest Saturday
Rotowire
Diaz is not part of the starting lineup Saturday versus the Orioles.
This will be Diaz's first day off since Aug. 10, as he's been working as Houston's DH on days when he doesn't start behind the plate. He's done fine with a .279 batting average, two homers and five RBI in the 11 games since his last day out of the lineup, so his absence Saturday seems to be simply a rest day. Victor Caratini is behind the plate for the Astros on Saturday, while Jose Altuve is getting a turn at DH.
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Astros' Cam Smith: Out of lineup again Saturday
Rotowire
Smith isn't in the starting lineup against Baltimore on Saturday.
Smith is sitting for the third time in Houston's past seven games, with all three of the absences coming against right-handers. The rookie has hit a rough patch at the plate, hitting a paltry .048 (1-for-21) over his past eight contests. With Smith out of the lineup Saturday, Jesus Sanchez is starting in right field for the Astros.
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Astros' Bennett Sousa: Won't throw for multiple weeks
Rotowire
Sousa has been diagnosed with a "low-grade elbow flexor/pronator strain" and will not throw for at least two weeks, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Sousa landed on the injured list Friday and underwent an MRI, the results of which revealed the flexor/pronator strain. The southpaw will be evaluated in early September, and he's expected to be sidelined from any throwing for a minimum of two weeks. This is a big blow to Houston's bullpen, as Sousa has excelled with a 2.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 59:15 K:BB over 50.2 innings while notching four saves and eight holds across 44 appearances.
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Astros' Shawn Dubin: Designated for assignment
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The Astros designated Dubin for assignment Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Dubin has had an injury-plagued campaign, as he's dealt with separate shoulder, ankle and forearm issues at points this season. The right-hander has struggled during his time with Houston, posting a 5.61 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 21:8 K:BB over 25.2 innings. AJ Blubaugh was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move, but perhaps the more important aspect of Dubin being DFA'd is that it opens up a spot on the Astros' 40-man roster. That spot will likely go to Yordan Alvarez (hand), who is close to being activated from the 60-day IL.
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Astros' AJ Blubaugh: Summoned back to majors
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Houston recalled Blubaugh from Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Blubaugh has made two big-league appearances (one of which was a start) totaling nine innings so far in his debut MLB campaign, giving up four runs on eight hits with an 11:2 K:BB. His numbers haven't been great at Sugar Land, as he's registered a 5.27 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 101: 58 K:BB across 99 frames, but the Astros will look to the right-hander for some pitching depth while he's up with the team. The Astros don't have an immediate opening in their rotation, and Luis Garcia (elbow) is nearing a return from the injured list, so Blubaugh figures to work as a long reliever with the big-league club.
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Astros' Jeremy Pena: Leads offense in Friday's win
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Pena went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and four RBI in Friday's 10-7 win over the Orioles.
The shortstop took Cade Povich deep for a three-run shot in the third inning as part of a four-run frame that gave the Astros a lead they would never relinquish. Pena has 14 long balls on the season, with three of them coming in his last 12 games, but he's otherwise struggled to build any momentum over that stretch, managing a .213/.288/.447 slash line with two steals, four runs and six RBI.
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Astros' Bryan Abreu: Notches second save
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Abreu struck out four in 1.1 scoreless innings Friday to record his second save of the season in a 10-7 win over the Orioles.
Plunking Coby Mayo (hand) with a pitch was the only blemish on a dominant relief performance by Abreu. The right-hander hasn't given up a run in August, posting a 0.70 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB over 10 innings, and with Josh Hader (shoulder) likely out for the rest of the regular season, Abreu is locked into the closer role for the Astros.
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Astros' Lance McCullers: Can't find plate in return
Rotowire
McCullers came away with a no-decision in Friday's 10-7 win over the Orioles, giving up three runs on five hits and five walks in four innings. He struck out four.
Out since July 19 due to blister issues, McCullers had trouble finding the plate in his return, tossing 50 of 97 pitches for strikes and falling short of qualifying for the win in a game in which the Astros never trailed. The five free passes were a season high for the right-hander, but he's issued multiple walks in six straight big-league starts dating back to June 10, compiling a disastrous 9.38 ERA, 2.21 WHIP and 21:22 K:BB in 24 innings over that stretch. With Luis Garcia (elbow) closing in on his return, McCullers may find himself bumped from the rotation as soon as next week.
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