Houston Astros Baseball

Paulino Set Back

CHICAGO -- Right-hander Felipe Paulino was slated to make two relief appearances this week for Triple-A Round Rock, but after experiencing shoulder tightness in his first game on Tuesday, that plan is on hold.

Paulino pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowed a hit and a walk and struck out one before exiting the game prematurely. He didn't have a reoccurrence of the nerve issue that knocked him out of commission in Spring Training and later forced him to the disabled list, but his recent shoulder issue is cause for concern.

Paulino, 24, will be examined by team medical director David Lintner on Thursday.

"It's just to make sure he's still OK," assistant general manager Ricky Bennett said. "It's more precautionary than anything else. The good thing is the nerve issue he was dealing with seems to be a non-issue at this point."

According to Bennett, Paulino hit 97 mph on the radar gun, which is encouraging.

"His command was OK, too," Bennett said. "He's been out for a year, so from that standpoint, that was positive."

Paulino, who was in the running for a starting spot in Spring Training before he was injured, was scheduled to pitch again on Friday. The club will wait to hear from Lintner before deciding the next course of action for Paulino.

Another rehabbing pitcher, right-hander Paul Estrada, is scheduled to make his first appearance of the season after rehabbing a shoulder injury. Estrada, 25, was slated to pitch in relief for Double-A Corpus Christi on Wednesday.



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