September 14: GM Dana Brown instructed the Astros’ pregame radio present right this moment (as relayed by Kawahara) that, whereas Altuve is about to be out of the lineup, he’s anticipated to overlook “two days tops” as a result of foot soreness he suffered from final evening.
September 13: The Astros eliminated veteran star Jose Altuve from their win over the Braves within the third inning right this moment on account of what the staff has termed “proper foot discomfort.” The specifics of Altuve’s ailment weren’t instantly clear, however supervisor Joe Espada instructed reporters (together with Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) after the sport that Altuve’s foot started bothering him after he ran the bases within the third inning, main them to take him out of the sport as a precaution.
Espada famous that Altuve continues to be being evaluated, however the replace appears pretty encouraging. It goes with out saying that dropping Altuve for any period of time could be a considerable blow to the Astros at an important level within the season. They’ve a measly half-game lead over the Mariners pending the end result of tonight’s sport in Seattle, and the Rangers lurk simply two video games behind them. Whereas most division leaders have their spot within the postseason locked up at this level, the Astros even have simply an 80.0% likelihood to make it to October in response to Fangraphs, aren’t even favored to win the AL West regardless of the marginal lead they’re clinging to.
Altuve will probably be essential if the membership goes to keep away from getting overtaken within the postseason race, a lot much less make an impression as soon as they get to October. The longtime second baseman has begun taking part in some outfield this yr as a result of staff’s lack of high quality depth on the grass, though he’s largely break up time between second base and DH in newer weeks. Altuve has been slumping lately, with a .208/.276/.383 slash line n 38 video games for the reason that begin of August. These numbers aren’t precisely encouraging, however with a 112 wRC+ on the yr and no beneath common performances since 2013 excepting the shortened 2020 season, Altuve is a comparatively protected wager to bounce again if wholesome.
The Astros will now have to weigh whether or not to have him play by way of the foot concern that’s at present ailing him, or to attempt to work in some additional relaxation for him (and even place him on the IL) regardless of the hotly-contested pennant race the Astros discover themselves in. If Altuve does want a while off, the presence of deadline pickup Ramon Urias and longtime utilityman Mauricio Dubon as viable second base choices ought to assist to minimize the blow considerably. Yordan Alvarez occupies the DH slot on most days at this level, leaving the outfield to some mixture of Altuve, Dubon, Zach Cole, Taylor Trammell, Cam Smith, Jesus Sanchez, and Jake Meyers on any given day.
Meyers is the one true on a regular basis participant in that group, although Cole has gotten off to a sizzling begin and will see common taking part in time if he can hold the nice instances rolling. It appears seemingly that if Altuve is coping with a nagging foot concern, the Astros will attempt to hold his time within the outfield to a minimal. That would imply a bigger alternative for Cole whereas Sanchez and Smith platoon in proper discipline, leaving Taylor Trammell to spell Cole and see use primarily as a reserve participant.
Issues may get extra difficult if the staff makes a deep sufficient run within the postseason that Isaac Paredes manages to work his means again into the dialog, nevertheless. A hamstring harm that appeared as if it could be season-ending sidelined Paredes almost two months in the past, however he determined to forgo surgical procedure in favor of rehabbing in hopes of returning for the postseason. Whereas there’s nonetheless no timetable for his return, Espada instructed reporters (together with Kawahara) that Paredes is taking reside at-bats on the membership’s Spring Coaching complicated in West Palm Seashore and has begun to run the bases. It’s not clear what depth Paredes is at present working at, however Espada mentioned the present plan is for him to easily proceed ramping up his at-bats, working, and floor balls at third base in hopes of a return.
If Paredes had been to return to motion in some unspecified time in the future this yr, that would depart the Astros with a little bit of a positional logjam. Paredes is able to taking part in third base, first base, and DH. Carlos Correa and Christian Walker at present occupy the infield corners, nevertheless, which means that Paredes would almost certainly should push Alvarez and his lackluster glove into left discipline by taking over the DH position. If he’s wholesome sufficient to play the sphere in some unspecified time in the future this postseason, it’s at the least believable that the Astros may attempt Correa at second base with Altuve in left discipline to suit Paredes at first and hold Alvarez at DH, however there’s loads of issues with that plan. Correa has no expertise on the keystone as knowledgeable, for one, and given Altuve’s personal lackluster protection within the outfield it’s debatable how a lot of an improve he would even be over Alvarez.
That would depart Paredes restricted to a bench/pinch hitting position within the playoffs if he returns and the Astros don’t need to threat utilizing Alvarez within the outfield, although clearly that might be an amazing downside for Houston to have contemplating Paredes’s expertise (he made the All-Star sport and crushed 19 homers in simply 94 video games) and the truth that him turning into an element would seemingly imply they made a reasonably deep postseason run, given his unsure timeline.
