Infielder Jeff Keppinger, who was the Astros second baseman for most of last season, is likely to start a minor league rehabilitation assignment in the near future. Manager Brad Mills said that if everything goes right, Keppinger could begin his rehab on Thursday:

“We’re going to see how he is today and tomorrow and go from there,” Mills said. “If there’s no soreness and he feels OK, he could start as early as maybe Thursday.”

It’s not likely that Keppinger will be an Astro very long. The team unsuccessfully tried to deal him in the offseason before news of his toe injury came to light. Bill Hall has been a disaster so far for the Astros, but between Matt Downs, Angel Sanchez, Hall, and Clint Barmes, there won’t be many at-bats to go around for Keppinger.

Instead, look for the Astros to give him a few appearances to prove he’s healthy, and then watch as he winds up on a new team.