Astros' George Springer: Could return after minimum

Manager A.J. Hinch stated Monday that Springer (thumb) "may even beat the timeline of 10 days," Chandler Rome of The Houston Chronicle reports.

After injuring himself on a headfirst slide in Sunday's series finale against the Dodgers, Springer was originally expected to remain on the shelf for two weeks. After further evaluation, the team medical staff is optimistic he could come back even sooner. He is eligible to be activated Aug. 17 in Oakland.