Although the season opener on March 31 is just more than two weeks away, manager Cecil Cooper wants to try and avoid placing Matsui on the disabled list.
"We'll go down to the wire and see how he's progressing," Cooper said. "We want him on the roster and active so he can play."
Matsui was signed in December to take over at second base after Craig Biggio's retirement. He had 37s RBIs and four home runs with a .288 batting average last season for Colorado.
Geoff Blum and Mark Loretta have been filling in for Matsui while he's been injured.
Also on Friday, Houston lefty Wandy Rodriguez strained a left oblique muscle and is listed as day-to-day. He threw just two pitches before leaving Houston's game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, which was called after one inning because of rain.
Magglio Ordonez had a two-run home run, his second homer of the spring, off Houston's Chad Paronto before the game was stopped.
Rodriguez said he felt discomfort on his last pitch in the bullpen and after the second pitch of the game, he realized he was injured and decided to leave the game.
Neither he or Cooper believes the injury is serious.
"It's not bad," Rodriguez said. "I won't be out long. I'll be back soon."
Rodriguez, Houston's only left-handed starter, was 9-13 with a 4.58 ERA in 31 starts last season and has allowed nine hits and five runs in three outings this spring.
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