Jeremy Peña’s latest injury scare appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario.
On Thursday, Astros manager Joe Espada delivered encouraging news on the star infielder’s right hand, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Peña had an MRI that came back clean from a structural standpoint, and Houston is now hopeful that a trip to the injured list won’t be necessary.
“Jeremy Peña underwent an MRI today that showed no structural damage in his right hand. Peña is still quite sore, but Joe Espada said the team is optimistic he won’t need an IL stint,” Rome reported.
That’s a significant relief for Houston with the season’s stretch run closing in. The Astros can’t afford to lose Peña for long, and while the club is expected to be cautious before putting him back in the lineup, the early signs point to a relatively quick return.
Peña has already been a major piece for Houston this year despite missing time because of a previous injury. He has appeared in 79 games, but when he’s been on the field, he’s produced at a high level.
Through 340 plate appearances, Peña is batting .283/.338/.469 with 14 home runs, 14 doubles and eight stolen bases.
The Astros entered Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Angels with a 64-63 record, good enough to hold a two-game edge in the American League West.
For now, all eyes remain on Peña’s recovery, with more updates expected as Houston gets a better sense of when he can return.
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Astros Division Lead Is Hiding A Problem Fans Can't Ignore
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The bullpen has done its part and kept the Astros afloat, but that only goes so far when the rotation is fighting uphill and the offense is not supplying much margin. The move from Spencer Arrighetti to Daulton Varsho was supposed to address a need, yet Varsho has struggled offensively since the trade, leaving the club still searching for answers in the middle of a division race that now feels less secure than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]