McHugh (elbow) feels he could begin a rehab assignment next weekend, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle reports.
McHugh is feeling confident after throwing earlier this week, but manager AJ Hinch slowed his roll. The manager characterized McHugh's throwing sessions as pitching with less-than-full effort off a slope, not a mound. "He hasn't been off the mound yet," Hinch said Friday. "He's going to get off the mound today. He's not close to a rehab assignment right now." Hinch will play it slow with McHugh, particularly after other injured players, Jose Altuve (hamstring) and George Springer (hamstring), reinjured themselves after they said they were ready to play.