Correa providing needed spark to Astros

The rumblings started the second Astros shortstop Carlos Correa had his name omitted from the starting lineup in the season opener at Tampa Bay, with some wondering if his injury history would continue to serve as an impediment to his development.

But after missing the first three games of a four-game set against the Rays, Correa returned for the series finale last Sunday and has looked like himself over the five games he has played this season, including Friday when he slugged his first home run in a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game weekend set and six-game homestand.

Correa finished 1-for-3 with a walk and looked the part in the field too, appearing completely removed from the neck strain that sidelined him at the onset of this campaign. After a back injury sapped him of his productivity last season, Correa seems set for a return to form.

"Great stuff," Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters of Correa following the game. "He's being Carlos Correa. Watching him play with some freedom and the acrobatic plays that he's playing with, the freedom in his swing, even the at-bat where he swung and missed a couple times, there's some danger in there.

"But he's Carlos Correa. I don't think too many people need to label him anything other than elite. Obviously, we want to see him healthy, we want to see him productive. He's in the middle of our order, he's playing shortstop. But I've seen a lot of attributes that I've seen the last four or five years."

Left-hander Wade Miley (0-1, 4.50 ERA) will make his second start with the Astros on Saturday. He surrendered three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over six innings in his Astros debut on March 31 against the Tampa Bay Rays, taking a 3-1 loss. Miley did not issue a walk in what was his 17th consecutive start limiting the opposition to three earned runs or fewer. In five career appearances against Oakland, Miley is 4-1 with a 1.64 ERA. He last faced the Athletics on Aug. 21, 2017, with Baltimore, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks with six strikeouts over six innings in a 7-3 victory at Camden Yards.

Right-hander Aaron Brooks (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the start for Oakland on Saturday. Brooks combined with four relievers on a four-hit shutout of the Boston Red Sox last Monday, twirling six innings while giving up two hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Brooks is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA over three appearances against Houston, all starts during the 2015 season. He made three relief appearances with Oakland in 2018 following his acquisition from Milwaukee on Sept. 3.

Center fielder Ramon Laureano was the lone bright spot at the plate for Oakland in the series opener, going 4-for-4 with both RBI. Laureano, renowned for his defensive prowess, entered the weekend with a major league-worst 14 strikeouts over just 35 plate appearances.

Laureano has earned the accolades for his outstanding glove work and powerful, accurate arm. Producing with the bat is something the Athletics would welcome, too.

"Having a nice day, and sometimes that's all it takes is one day like this to get you going," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "He fought his at-bats pretty hard."

--Field Level Media