HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Astros outfielder Chas McCormick wanted to make sure he put his injured right hamstring to the test at some point during his first rehab game on Sunday in Sugar Land, and in his fifth at bat of the day he saw an opportunity.
McCormick smacked a Michael Petersen cutter 100.3 MPH into left-center field. Even though the ball was cut off before reaching the warning track, McCormick took a hard turn around first in an attempt stretch his hit into a double. He did so without any issue.
"I felt really good, so that was a good test, and I was really happy about that," McCormick said Monday.
McCormick has been on the IL with right hamstring discomfort since April 28, an injury he says he first suffered almost three weeks before in Kansas City. The 29-year old has posted just a .603 OPS in 21 games this season, down from .842 in 2023.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, it didn't feel that good when I was playing this year," McCormick said. "I felt like my normal self yesterday. I felt like I could just stick in the box when I would swing, and when I'm doing that, I feel really good, and I didn't feel any pain running around the bases or at the plate."
McCormick's rehab assignment will last at least two more games. He'll join the Astros Double-A affiliate, Corpus Christi, in San Antonio on Tuesday. He'll play the outfield in that game, and be in the lineup for the Hooks game on Wednesday as well.
"I'm just trying to make sure that I'm healthy and I'm 100 percent when I get back," he said. "Obviously there's no rush. Guys are playing good right now, so I want to make sure I get my at bats, I get my playing time, and I want to make sure before I come back that I get a lot of work under me so I can be ready to go."
McCormick wasn't the only Astro rehabbing in Sugar Land over the weekend. Jose Urquidy allowed three runs on three hits over 2.2 innings in his first game action being shutdown during spring training with elbow soreness.
"(Felt) great, physically," Urquidy said. "When I finished the game I didn't feel anything bad, so I did my normal routine, I threw today, and I feel great too."
Urquidy threw 46 pitches, with his four-seam fastball averaging 91.6 MPH, but he did not pitch at max velocity to avoid putting stress on his elbow. The right-hander will up the intensity when he pitches for Corpus Christi on Saturday in San Antonio. Urquidy is expected to throw 70 pitches in what he hopes will be final rehab start.
