Notes: Bregman; secret formula to Yuli's RBIs

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman will be out of action “at least two to three weeks or more,” manager Dusty Baker said prior to Wednesday’s game in Baltimore. It marked the first time since Bregman went on the injured list last week with a strained left quadriceps muscle that any kind of timeline was put on his return.

“These things don’t heal that quickly,” Baker said. “I won’t have any reports for you for a couple of weeks.”

The timetable means that Bregman will likely be out until the All-Star break, which is in less than three weeks. Bregman sustained the muscle strain running the bases while trying to beat out a double play last Wednesday and was subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list.

Gurriel nearly automatic with runner at third

When it comes to success with a runner at third base and less than two outs this year, Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel has been pretty much automatic.

Entering Wednesday’s series finale in Baltimore, Gurriel had 17 plate appearances with a runner at third and less than two outs and had scored him 16 times (94.1 percent). That’s the highest success rate in those situations (minimum 10 plate appearances) in the Majors this year. The league average is only 49.5 percent.

Baker says success in that spot comes down to having a game plan depending on the situation and being aggressive.

“A lot of guys don’t have a game plan and they’re up there swinging,” Baker said. “You’ve got to have a game plan to drive in runs and you’ve got to be ready to hit. … Everybody wants to go deep in the count. You’re going to get deep in the bench after you strike out most of the time. The best pitch to drive in runs a lot of times is the first pitch. Don’t let them get ahead of you. [Gurriel] has a plan.”

Gurriel entered Wednesday ranked eighth in the American League with 50 RBIs, which leads the Astros.