HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Chas McCormick and Yordan Alvarez are getting closer to making their returns, Astros manager Dusty Baker said before Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Alvarez returned to Houston before the team's series in Tampa on Monday due to neck pain. The Astros have not placed him on the injured list, and he was listed as a reserve on Friday's lineup card, though Baker declined to say if he'd be available off the bench, so as to not tip off the Phillies.
McCormick hasn't played since April 14th when vision issues forced him out of the game in the third inning. He was placed on the IL on April 18 after experiencing low back tightness during a workout. He will join Double-Corpus Christi to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday.
Alvarez's 27 RBI are second most in baseball, and he has compiled a .900 OPS in 20 games despite missing most of spring training due to hand soreness.
McCormick has a .275/.383/.500 slash line this season, and moved into the leadoff spot before his injury.
