Sipp (oblique) is expected to be activated before Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Bob Dutton of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp tested out his strained right oblique muscle Monday by throwing a bullpen session. He'll take the roster spot of right-hander James Hoyt, who was optioned following Tuesday's game.

Sipp was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with right oblique soreness, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

In a corresponding move, James Hoyt was recalled from Triple-A Fresno. Prior to landing on the DL, Sipp had appeared in just two games this season, giving up one run across a combined 2.1 innings. A timetable for his eventual return should come into focus as his rehab gets underway.

Sipp will be part of Houston's eight-man bullpen that breaks camp, Brian McTaggart of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp secured the final bullpen spot when the Astros announced that James Hoyt (oblique) would not be ready for the start of the regular season. Sipp will be the Astros' lone lefty out of the pen, although having a left-handed reliever is not paramount, per comments made by manager A.J. Hinch at various points during spring training. Sipp provides balance in the pen, but his recent track record (5.33 ERA, 2.2 HR/9 last two seasons) doesn't suggest job security. That means Sipp is not guaranteed a spot when Hoyt is ready to return.

Sipp is the lone left-hander remaining in major-league camp after Houston optioned Buddy Boshers and Reymin Guduan to minor-league camp Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp had another scoreless outing Sunday, giving him four of five outings without surrendering a run.

Sipp is expected to win the Astros' left-handed reliever job this spring, the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp has posted ugly ERAs of 4.95 and 5.79 in the past two seasons and was left off of Houston's playoff roster. The Astros brought in Buddy Boshers this offseason to compete with Sipp, but the team views the spot as Sipp's to lose. The 34-year-old is under contract for $6 million this season.

Sipp pitched a clean third inning Thursday against the Red Sox.

EDGE Analysis

This was Sipp's second spotless inning of the spring as he attempts to win a spot in the bullpen. After a 2017 season in which Sipp posted a 5.79 ERA and was left off the postseason roster, the Astros brought in left-hander Buddy Boshers to compete against him to be the primary left-hander out of the pen. The split-finger fastball is the key in Sipp's efforts to hold off that challenge.

Sipp (right calf soreness) was activated from the 10-day DL on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

This move was expected prior to the doubleheader against the Mets, with rosters expanding this month. Sipp should return to a low-leverage role down the stretch. He has a career-worst 6.47 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 32 innings this season.

Sipp (calf) met up with the Astros in St. Petersburg to be evaluated by team trainers Wednesday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. The left-hander has been on a rehabilitation assignment for the past 10 days.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp, who allowed one run in three innings over three rehab appearances, is expected to fly back to Houston with the team Thursday and will be activated when rosters are set to expand Friday.

Sipp (calf) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp, who has been sidelined all month with right calf soreness, continues to inch closer to a return to the big-league bullpen. While the Astros haven't determined the length of his rehab assignment, he's expected to need multiple outings before rejoining the Astros, which will likely be sometime after rosters expand at the beginning of September. When he does return, he'll likely be used in lower-leverage situations given his unsightly 6.47 ERA through 32 innings this season.

Manager AJ Hinch said that Sipp (calf) could head out on a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi by the middle of next week, Christian Boutwell of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sipp has been sidelined since the beginning of this month while dealing with right calf soreness, but appears to be on the verge of facing live hitting. Throughout the course of the 2017 season, the 34-year-old has posted a 6.47 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 32 innings. He's pitched slightly better than his numbers suggest, but it's unlikely that Sipp will be on the mound for many high-leverage situations with the Astros during the rest of this year.