Bregman set for rehab assignment with Sugar Land Skeeters

Jul. 26—Alex Bregman didn't make it back to Isotopes Park to play as he suggested he might, but the Houston Astros third baseman and Albuquerque native is ready to return from a long stint on baseball's injured list.

Bregman will begin a rehab assignment with the Astros' Sugar Land Skeeters "in the next couple of days," according to MLB.com. The Skeeters end their road trip at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, then begin a six-game home series vs. El Paso on Thursday.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Bregman would play rehab games and that he is unlikely to join the club during its three-series road trip to Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. If that's the case, he will miss the two-game set at Dodger Stadium Aug. 3-4. Those games are much anticipated as the 2017 World Series rematch between Houston and the team that feels it got cheated out of a championship by the Astros, who it since revealed were illegally stealing opposing teams' signs that season.

Bregman had said two weeks ago that he hoped he could begin a rehab assignment with the Skeeters during their July 15-20 stop at Isotopes Park, telling Houston media beforehand that he hoped he could "sell out Albuquerque" for appearances in his hometown. But that did not materialize.

Bregman strained his left quadriceps muscle while running the bases on June 16 and has not played since. He told MLB.com that he ran the bases Saturday and "I feel great."

The Astros have been rolling without him — 61-39 and a 5 1/2 -game lead over Oakland in the American League West heading into Monday.