Correa (neck) will miss at least the next two games, both against the Rays, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Correa will be held out of the next two matchups due to neck soreness, and manager A.J. Hinch won't allow his starting shortstop to return until he manages to turn in a full day of baseball activities. While it's good news that Correa felt good Friday, he won't be taking any cuts just yet. He could be back in action in time for Sunday's series finale against the Rays if all goes according to plan. Aledmys Diaz is in line for time at short until Correa is cleared.

Correa (neck) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Correa had neck stiffness crop up Tuesday and was unable to play in Thursday's season opener. The 24-year-old has remained optimistic he'll be able to play at some point during the four-game series against Tampa Bay, but it's unsurprising to see the Astros being cautious with his return to action after he didn't feel right when taking swings Thursday. Aledmys Diaz will grab another start at shortstop in his absence.

Correa (neck) is out of the lineup for Thursday's season opener against the Rays, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Correa experienced some neck stiffness prior to the Astros' exhibition finale Tuesday against the Pirates and is considered day-to-day. The Astros had held out hope that he would be ready to go for Opening Day, but with Correa apparently not back to 100 percent, the club will err on the side of caution and turn to Aledmys Diaz at shortstop. The fact that Correa hasn't been placed on the injured list suggests the Astros believe he'll be ready to play at some point during the four-game series with Tampa Bay.

Correa's neck stiffness may cause him to miss Opening Day, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager A.J. Hinch wouldn't commit to Correa being ready, saying the team would evaluate him over the next two days before making a call. The shortstop hasn't played since Friday, but he's been fielding groundballs and hitting in the cage, so it doesn't sound as if any potential absence will be a prolonged one.

Correa was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates due to neck stiffness, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The issue isn't being described as a severe one, so it's possible this is just the Astros being cautious with Opening Day a mere two days away. Aledmys Diaz would be the beneficiary if Correa is forced to miss time, either playing shortstop himself or starting at third base and moving Alex Bregman to shortstop.

Correa is expected to slot in as the Astros' primary No. 5 hitter to begin the regular season, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kaplan suggests the Astros' batting order for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game is a good representation of the lineup the team will trot out for Opening Day against the Rays on March 28. While Kaplan acknowledges it's possible that Correa and Michael Brantley could swap spots versus left-handed starters, manager AJ Hinch will likely keep the lefty-hitting Brantley as the cleanup hitter versus right-handed pitching. That arrangement would help alleviate some of the stacking of the team's right-handed bats, as George Springer, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman will fill the top three spots in the order.

Correa started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a double in Friday's game against St. Louis.

EDGE Analysis

Correa, who was clearly hampered by a back issue late last season, played on consecutive days for the first time this spring. The next benchmark for the shortstop is playing the field on consecutive days. He's had two hits in 10 Grapefruit League at-bats with both hits going for extra bases.

Correa said he feels good about where his body is at, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. "My back feels great," the shortstop said.

EDGE Analysis

Correa said he wasn't able to hit the ball harder than 105 mph last season because of his back injury, but he's feeling good after scalding a double during Thursday's game against the Marlins that apparently came off the bat at 113 mph. "That made me feel good about where my body's at right now and where my swing's at," the 24-year-old said. He slapped another two-bagger in Friday's game against the Cardinals.

Correa went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's game against Miami.

EDGE Analysis

Correa managed to record his first base hit of the spring on an RBI double to center in the bottom of the first inning. He posted the worst batting average of his brief career in 2018 over 110 games (.239) and his power numbers dipped noticeably, although injuries played a role in his struggles at the dish.

Correa said he's participating in yoga three times a week to get more limber, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Correa was limited to 110 games in 2018 after spending six weeks on the injured list with a sore back. To combat continued back discomfort, the shortstop worked on back-strengthening exercises, including yoga. He looked good during his first batting-practice session Saturday, squaring up several balls on the back fields at training camp. "I don't think last year I hit a baseball like that after I got hurt," Correa said. "It feels good to be back and be healthy." Coming off an All-Star campaign in 2017, Correa batted .239/.323/.405, which was heavily influenced by his .517 OPS in 133 at-bats following his return from the injury. "Last season is behind me, but I learned a lot from it," Correa said. "I learned so many things from my injury last year, and this year my main focus is I already showed up ready in spring training. I'm not going to overdo it and I'm going to go out there and do what's necessary so I perform on Opening Day and play in 160 games."