In a radio appearance today, Astros GM Dana Brown provided updates on the club’s pair of injured, lefty-swinging outfielders, as relayed by Chandler Rome of The Athletic and Mark Berman of Fox 26. Brown notes that there’s currently no timetable for the return of slugger Yordan Alvarez to Houston’s lineup, and that one isn’t expected to crystalize in the coming days, with the GM suggesting that it will take “at least a week” for the club to have confidence in a timetable for Alvarez. Any missed time for Alvarez is a severe blow to the Astros, as the slugger has posted another phenomenal season so far in 2023, slashing .277/.388/.589 in 57 games before hitting the injured list with what has been described as “right oblique discomfort.”
In more optimistic news, Brown notes that veteran outfielder Michael Brantley is making good progress in his rehab from shoulder inflammation after he was shut down last month. Brantley has yet to appear in a game this season after undergoing shoulder surgery last summer, but Brown notes that the veteran is playing catch and taking pain-free swings in the batting cage. While the update is certainly a positive one, it sounds as though Brantley is still a ways away from returning to the Astros, who would surely benefit from the boost the 36-year old could provide to their lineup.
More from around the AL…
- The Rays placed left-hander Josh Fleming on the 60-day injured list yesterday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that Fleming is scheduled to meet with specialist Dr. Keith Meister later this week. When asked about the appointment, Fleming acknowledged to reporters that a ligament issue is possible, leaving a worst case scenario of Tommy John surgery on the table. That’s certainly a worrisome possibility for Tampa, as the club has seen their starting depth tested with as each of Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, and Tyler Glasnow have spent significant portions of the season on the injured list.
- White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks was placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation earlier today, temporarily halting the closer’s inspiring return to the big leagues following his recovery from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. As relayed by James Fegan of The Athletic, GM Rick Hahn said that Hendriks’s current ailment has similarities to a flexor strain he dealt with last season that left him on the shelf for just under a month. The club is hopeful that this current injury will have a similar timeline, though Hendriks will undergo an MRI to confirm that timetable. After a difficult first outing back from the injured list, Hendriks has posted a 2.25 ERA with a save and three strikeouts in his last four appearances.
- The Athletics provided an update on right-hander Drew Rucinski, who has been on the injured list with a stomach illness since late last month. As noted by MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos, Rucinski’s stomach ailment has improved, but the right-hander is dealing with a low-grade MCL sprain in his right knee that occurred during a bullpen session. The injury will leave him shut down from throwing for 2 to 3 weeks. Rucinski signed with the A’s on a one-year deal with a club option for 2024 this past offseason, but has managed just four starts for the club, pitching to a 9.00 ERA in 18 innings of work with a whopping 14 walks allowed compared to jut six strikeouts.
maybe the experiment of guys only going 5-6 innings isn’t working for TB?
I don’t know the exact numbers but I’m willing to bet at least 2/3 SPs in the league today only go 5-6 innings per start
All 4 Rays pitchers mentioned have only barely went over 100 innings 1 season each in their careers. The Rays with their limited payroll have taken chances on cheaper risky pitchers with potential high upside.
That’s one way of looking at it. The Rays seem to be doing just fine without all their pitchers being healthy. I don’t think they’re worried.
Bowing to modern metrics and what may be considered a tremendous overreach from this writers story standpoint…….how far have we sunk to talk about a player hitting .277 having a phenomenal season………that’s 27.7 hits every 100 at bats…..Pete Rose probably is somewhere getting sick……..
Idk man a .977 OPS is pretty phenomenal
The OBP and SLG are indeed phenomenal, and the BA doesn’t mean much.
“Modern metrics” are a reflection of the latest learnings by front offices. Additional information is a good thing.
> Bowing to modern metrics and what may
> be considered a tremendous overreach
> from this writers story standpoint…….
> how far have we sunk to talk about
> a player hitting .277 having a phenomenal
> season………that’s 27.7 hits every 100 at
> bats…..
Yordan Alvarez:
56 hits in 202 at-bats with 12 doubles and 17 HR.
Let’s use his 242 plate appearances and add in his 32 walks and 6 HBP.
94/242 times up he reached base or 38.8% of the time up. That is a lot more valuable than 27.7%.
17 of his hits have been homeruns. I’m going to leave that out of this reply because I don’t want to write an essay.
Note: A hit is more valuable than HBP or walks, but they are all similar in value to a team’s success. Runners on base equals greater chances of scoring runs. Runners clog up the bases and put pressure on the pitcher to not make mistakes. These should all be accepted concepts as they are a basic element of winning in baseball.
Therefore, a player who reaches base frequently is more valuable than a player who does not. Batting average is an antiquated statistic that should not be used on its own (or at all) to evaluate a player’s value.
Great explanation Hemlock, but these batting-average obsessed fans just aren’t bright enough to understand it, I’m afraid. They also don’t understand seasonal context, and that a 277 average today is very good, given that the league-wide batting average is currently only 247.
@Rocky, for a guy who likes to point out traditional stats u conviently overlooked his league leading 55 RBIs. And just to point out how productive Alvarez has been despite his average, he has 119 total bases. Arraez who his hitting .402 only has 110 total bases.
And I’m sure you would never be able to convince him that Alvarez is a better hitter than Pete Rose ever was.
And Pete Rose only had 30 hits per 100 at bats. Stop using BA.
I wondered why Grifol brought in Kelly to blow the game yesterday. As bad as he had been, he just keeps getting chances to blow games.
Same with Graveman, who blew a lead in the ninth today. That’s one thing Grifol isn’t good at, knowing when to pull relievers.
I guess it doesn’t really matter when everyone in the pen sucks.
Well catchers interference and then Moncada not guarding the line had something to do with it as well.
How in the f can Hendricks have elbow inflammation already? He just returned from a lengthy period. Here we go just send him for surgery like everyone else. Wow.
Cancer patients nowadays receive an assortment of chemotherapy, steroid medications, hormonal therapy, and immunotherapy which can lead to late effects like nerve pain, thinning bones, problems in the joints or muscles. I’d be shocked if Hendriks didn’t experience some side effects or late effects from his treatment.
Chemotherapy, steroid medications, or hormonal therapy may cause thinning of the bones, called osteoporosis, or joint pain. Immunotherapy may cause problems in the joints or muscles.
I’ve called you to the presser to announce that I have a stomach bug. Oh, and by the way, I blew out my knee. I’ll be fine – boys help carry me out, would you?