Notes: Paredes close; Honorary Bat Girl
HOUSTON -- The Astros’ bullpen could get some help within the next week. Right-hander Enoli Paredes threw two perfect innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced, in his second Minor League rehab assignment Saturday for Double-A Corpus Christi.
Astros manager Dusty Baker said Paredes, who injured his right side in his third outing of the season April 8, would still need to pitch in back-to-back games before being activated. That could happen in the next couple of days, setting him up to rejoin the Astros before the end of the current homestand next Sunday.
In two outings for the Hooks, Paredes has faced nine batters in three innings, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out six hitters.
Paredes, 25, made his Major League debut last season, appearing in 22 games for Astros. He struck out 20 in 20 2/3 innings while posting a 3.05 ERA.
Honorary Bat Girl beat breast cancer
Amy Elliot of Katy, Texas, was a staunch advocate of breast cancer awareness long before she was diagnosed with the disease herself. She participated in the Houston Avon Walk for Breast Cancer for many years, starting in 2011, and walked 39 miles to raise money to fight breast cancer.
So when she was diagnosed with breast cancer on Oct. 15, 2019, she was in shock. But she was also determined to keep walking and keep battling the disease. Elliot’s resiliency has led to her being named the Astros’ 2021 Honorary Bat Girl. She was recognized Sunday at Minute Maid Park.
“I am active and healthy, and with no family history,” she wrote about her diagnosis. “It was hard for me to believe. The thought that ‘This would never happen to me’ was wrong. Cancer was here and a reality.”
Elliot was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive cancer that was confirmed through a second opinion. Luckily, she caught it early. After several surgeries and bouts with radiation, she beat the disease and is now cancer-free.
“I was extremely lucky to have caught the cancer early, there are so many women that are not that lucky,” she wrote. “The women that go through this are the true warriors. No matter what the diagnosis or treatment, it is a fight for your life!!”
As has been tradition since 2006, Astros players will continue to swing pink bats and sport pink wristbands in commemoration of the “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” initiative, which is intended to raise awareness and funds (through donations and auction proceeds) to support efforts to address breast cancer.
Players also will wear specially designed pink caps, while uniforms will feature the MLB breast cancer awareness logo, adorned with the symbolic pink ribbon, on the left chest. Players also have the choice of wearing matching pink socks.
Odorizzi nearing rehab assignment
General manager James Click said Sunday on the team’s pregame radio show that pitcher Jake Odorizzi is set to begin a Minor League rehab assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land in the coming days. Odorizzi, who’s been out since April 24 with a right pronator muscle strain, threw 37 pitches in the bullpen on Saturday and responded well.
“The more we talked to Jake, the more we felt in order to get him right, we’re going to look at a couple of those,” Click said. “He’ll be joining Sugar Land here soon, and we need to make sure he comes in [Sunday] OK. Hopefully, we’re not more than a week or two out. But certainly, in the meantime, guys like Luis Garcia stepping up and really pitching well and showing what they can do allows us to take our time and make sure Odorizzi is where he needs to be and fully healthy.”