Astros vs Angels

After missing the first month of the season with an oblique injury, Sousa is now set to sit out another couple of weeks due to an elbow issue, though it remains unknown whether he'll require more than a minimum stay. Jayden Murray was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land to fill the void in Houston's bullpen.

The Astros could provide an official timeline for Correa's return once surgery is completed, but the veteran infielder has already been ruled out for the season and is expected to require around 6-to-8 months to fully recover from the procedure. Correa slashed .279/.369/.418 with three home runs, one stolen base, 16 RBI and 22 runs over 141 plate appearances in 32 games before suffering the ankle injury in batting practice prior to Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Dodgers.

Javier had been shut down from throwing since landing on the shelf April 10 with a Grade 2 shoulder strain. Fellow starter Hunter Brown was placed on the injured list with the same injury April 7, but he appears to be much further along in the recovery process, as he's been able to throw off flat ground out to 120 feet and could throw his first bullpen session later this week. Given that general manager Dana Brown recently said that the Astros are hoping to get Brown back from the IL around early to mid-June, it's fair to expect Javier's absence to stretch into the latter half of June, if not July.

Brown threw live batting practice earlier this week and is ready to work in game action, as he works his way back from a shoulder strain. The right-hander isn't eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until next month, so he's likely to make at least a pair of rehab starts to build his arm back up before rejoining the Houston rotation. Brown last pitched March 31 against the Red Sox. He posted a 0,84 ERA and 17:6 K:BB across his first two starts of the season before being shut down.

Loperfido started light baseball activity May 5 and has been sidelined since April 17 with a right quadriceps strain. Fellow big leaguers Hunter Brown (shoulder), Josh Hader (biceps) and Taylor Trammell (groin) will also be playing in Sunday's game for the Hooks. Loperfido could return sometime next week.

Altuve told McTaggart he is feeling good, and while an oblique strain typically carries a multi-week timetable, it sounds like Altuve is trending in the right direction. Braden Shewmake and Brice Matthews have been splitting starts at the keystone in Altuve's absence.

Manager Joe Espada said that McCullers' shoulder issue has been something he's been dealing with for a while. The right-hander didn't bounce back from his most recent start the way the team had hoped, so they'll now opt to send him back to Houston for further evaluation. A timeline for his return may become available after his test results come back, though there's a strong chance McCullers will require an IL stint.

It was Trammell's first game in a month, as he's been working his way back from a left groin strain. He shouldn't require too many more rehab at-bats before rejoining the Astros' active roster. Unfortunately for Trammell, with Jake Meyers back healthy, the former is likely looking at a reserve role.

A left oblique strain caused Diaz to be scratched from the lineup ahead of Monday's contest and will now also prevent him from playing for another 10 days. Christian Vazquez will presumably take over as the Astros' primary catcher while Diaz is on the shelf, and Nick Allen (back) will come off the injured list to claim the open roster spot.

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Alvarez was pulled from Saturday's contest in the sixth inning due to back spasms, but he said after the game that his absence Sunday had already been planned and has nothing to do with his injury. Scheduled or not, a day off for Alvarez will give his back more time to recover and help his chances of returning to the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Rangers.

The BP was Pomeranz's second since landing on the 15-day injured list May 13. Manager Kurt Suzuki depicted the move as the result of the Angels being "cautious," and the veteran reliever indicated that he's in line for a minimum IL stay. Given that he's already tossed multiple bullpens, it still seems very feasible that Pomeranz will be activated when first eligible May 28.

D'Arnaud landed on the 10-day injured list May 8 due to right foot plantar fasciitis. He's kept the weight off his foot by using a scooter and relayed that he'll have a better sense of his rehab timeline once he's able to put weight on his foot. Given the update, it's possible that d'Arnaud is not back with the big club until later in the summer. Sebastian Rivero will continue to operate as the Angels' backup catcher behind Logan O'Hoppe for as long as d'Arnaud is sidelined.

Moncada is slashing just .191/.310/.300 through 129 plate appearances this season, and Thursday's game will be the third consecutive contest that he's begun on the bench. Vaughn Grissom will start at the hot corner while Moncada sits, and that may be the norm for the Angels going forward.

Kikuchi has been shut down from throwing since he landed on the 15-day IL due to left shoulder inflammation May 3. The veteran lefty explained through an interpreter Wednesday that surgery was never on the table and that "the damage wasn't major." Kikuchi also stated that he's been doing shoulder strengthening exercises and is preparing to be cleared to play catch. He's almost certain to need a lengthy buildup and a substantial minor-league rehab assignment, though he expressed confidence that he'll be able to be back in the Angels' rotation before the end of July.

Taylor has been playing at Triple-A Salt Lake this year, but after slashing .255/.382/.321 through 32 games in the minors, he's officially decided it's time to hang up his cleats. The 35-year-old spent 12 seasons in the majors with the Mariners, Dodgers and Angels. He was named an All-Star in 2021 and won the World Series twice with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024.

O'Hoppe was put through concussion protocol after he collided with Josh Jung during Friday's contest, but he said Saturday that he cleared it and is out of the lineup simply as a precaution, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Sebastian Rivero will pick up a start behind the plate while O'Hoppe sits, and the latter will presumably aim to return to the starting nine Sunday.