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July 21: C Victor Caratini (left hip flexor strain) nearing return
Caratini could rejoin the Astros as early as Monday in Oakland. He's caught six innings in consecutive Minor League rehab games with Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday and Saturday, going 2-for-5 with a homer. He was scheduled to get some at-bats as the designated hitter on Sunday.

"His rehab is going along very well," manager Joe Espada said.

July 20: RF Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion) does work in outfield
Tucker was back on the field prior to Saturday's game against the Mariners doing "intense defensive drills," manager Joe Espada said. "He was able to push off that leg pretty good. He's getting better. The drills today were very encouraging when you see what he did."

Espada said the next step in Tucker's progression would be hitting on the field. He's been hitting off a pitching machine for a few weeks, but not yet at the intensity the team would like.

"He's gettting close," he said. "Once we do that, get him on the bases and then we go from there."

July 20: RHP Justin Verlander and RHP Luis Garcia throw off mound in Houston
Verlander threw his second bullpen session Saturday in Houston, tossing 40 pitches off the mound at Minute Maid Park. Garcia threw about 15 pitches on Saturday in Houston, marking the first time he's been on the mound since he made a Minor League rehab start on July 4 at Double-A Corpus Christi. The Astros eased back on Garcia's throwing program earlier this month and are being cautious with him.

"They both felt pretty good afterwards," Espada said. "The plan is for them to throw another one at the beginning of next week."

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

C Victor Caratini (left hip flexor strain)
Expected return: July 22
Caratini, who sustained his injury sliding into home plate on June 19 in Chicago, caught six innings in consecutive Minor League rehab games with Double-A Corpus Christi on July 19 and 20, going 2-for-5 with a homer. He was slated to serve as the DH on July 21, and if all goes well, he could return to the big league club on July 22. (Last updated: July 21)

OF Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion)
Expected return: Late July
Tucker was making a push as an early-season MVP candidate when he fouled a ball off his shin June 3 and didn’t play again in the first half, leaving the Astros without a huge bat in their lineup. At the time he went on the IL, he was fourth in OPS in MLB behind Aaron Judge (1.080) and Juan Soto (1.027) of the Yankees and Marcell Ozuna of the Braves (1.000).

Tucker also ranked second in the AL in walks (46) and third in slugging (.584) and was the only qualifying player in the AL with more walks than strikeouts. He is the third player in franchise history with at least 19 homers in the team’s first 59 games. (Last updated: July 19)

RHP Justin Verlander (neck stiffness)
Expected return: Late July
Verlander returned to throwing off the mound after suffering a sore neck in his most recent start June 9. He was placed on the IL (retroactive to June 16). Verlander began the season on the injured list with a shoulder issue and went 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 10 starts before suffering his neck issue. (Last updated: July 19)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: August
Garcia had Tommy John surgery early in the 2023 season. He had been a workhorse starter for the Astros in the previous years. He is 28-19 in 69 career appearances (63 starts) with a 3.61 ERA, making his debut in 2020 when he was called up from High-A. In 2022, he went 15-8 in 28 starts with a 3.72 ERA in the regular season. (Last updated: July 19)

RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (right forearm surgery)
Expected return: TBD
McCullers remains a "no-throw" after spending the season building up from major surgery last June to repair his flexor tendon and remove a bone spur. McCullers had progressed to the point of throwing in the bullpen in late June before the Astros shut him down. Manager Joe Espada said McCullers visited a doctor for a second opinion and was told him there's no structural damage to his elbow.

"It's just getting him back to where he bounces back well after he throws a side or he plays catch," Espada said. "Right now he's no-throw and then depending on how he feels the next couple of days, then we start ramping up his throwing." (Last updated: July 19)

RHP Oliver Ortega (right elbow surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Ortega on June 26 underwent a second surgery in a span of a few months. He had a bone spur removed, putting him out for the rest of the season. Ortega, who has yet to pitch for the Astros in the regular season, had surgery in March to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. He joined the Astros after being claimed off waivers from the Twins on Oct. 25 and appeared in two Grapefruit League games. (Last updated: June 28)

RHP Kendall Graveman (right shoulder labral surgery )
Expected return: Maybe September, likely 2025
Graveman, acquired by the Astros for the second time at last year’s Trade Deadline, posted a 2.42 ERA in 23 appearances for Houston in August and September, but he didn’t pitch in the playoffs because of right shoulder discomfort.

Graveman underwent season-ending surgery in January to repair a torn labrum and clean out his rotator cuff. He's started a throwing program with the remote chance to return at the end of the season. (Last updated: June 21)

RHP Penn Murfee (right elbow surgery)
Expected return: August
Murfee, claimed off waivers on March 27 from the Braves, has progressed to throwing in the bullpen and could soon be sent to continue his rehab at the team's Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he would begin facing hitters. He underwent UCL surgery in 2023. (Last updated: July 20)

RHP Cristian Javier (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Javier underwent Tommy John surgery on June 6, ending his 2024 season. He was unable to throw a scheduled bullpen session due to right forearm discomfort and was placed on the IL on May 27 for the second time this season. He was previously on the IL from April 21 to May 11 with neck discomfort.

The right-hander was 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts with the Astros this year, including three quality starts. Javier was moved to the 60-day IL on June 16. (Last updated: June 16)

RHP José Urquidy (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Urquidy underwent Tommy John surgery on June 5. He was pulled out of his May 24 rehab start at Triple-A after experiencing right forearm inflammation. (Last updated: June 7)

LHP Bennett Sousa (left shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
Sousa was headed toward a spot on Houston's Opening Day roster before what he described as an inflamed nerve sent him to the IL to begin the season. Sousa said he experienced some numbness and soreness in his hand and "tried to grind through it."

Sousa underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome on April 3 and was shut down for the season. (Last updated: April 6)

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