Overview
- Cristian Javier faced live hitters for the first time in seven weeks on Friday and Espada said he "looked really good," with Javier’s next step set as a minor‑league rehab start to evaluate his command and stamina.
- Jose Altuve ramped up on‑field work on Saturday by taking batting practice, running and fielding ground balls and could face live pitching in the next few days to determine if he needs a minor‑league rehab assignment.
- Closer Josh Hader completed back‑to‑back Triple‑A rehab outings and Espada said he is "very close," with the club expecting the possibility of Hader returning to the big league roster as soon as next week.
- The team is using Hunter Brown’s recent shoulder‑sprain rehab as an informal benchmark for Javier, noting Brown needed several rehab starts before a mid‑June return projection.
- Next signals to watch are Javier’s performance in his rehab start and Altuve’s live‑pitching test because those results will decide whether the Astros bring them straight back or send them for minor‑league game work and will shape the club’s rotation and bullpen usage.