The Houston Astros were still a sub-.500 ball club as late as May 6, when their record sat at 17-8. How things have changed.
The Astros since then have been one of the hottest teams in baseball, winning 33 games and losing just 16, surging into first place in the American League Central and becoming just the third team to reach the 50-win mark this season.
The Astros under manager Joe Espada have somehow managed this feat in spite of a devastating series of injuries that have designated hitter Yordan Alvarez — who has belted at least 31 home runs in each of the last four seasons — on the injured list along with Jacob Melton, Zach Dezenzo, Brendan Rodgers and Chas McCormick.
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Two starting pitchers, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski, are out for the remainder of the season after elbow injuries that led to Tommy John surgery in May.
On Monday, the Astros made another grim announcement, though one not unexpected at least since Friday. That’s when 27-year-old shortstop Jordan Peña took a fastball off the ribs from Chicago Cubs rookie right-hander Cade Horton.
Peña was pulled from that game, won 7-4 by the Astros anyway, and missed games on Saturday and Sunday as well with soreness on his ribcage.
But initial X-rays showed no structural damage, even though Peña was still in pain. The Astros then sent the 2018 third-round draft pick out of Maine for new, more sophisticated imaging.
An MRI and CT scan reportedly showed that Peña had suffered what the Astros described as a “small” fracture to one of his left ribs.
The team immediately added him to their lengthy injured list — the 10-day version, retroactive to Sunday. That makes him eligible to return on July 8, though the Astros gave no time frame for when they expected Peña back.
The loss of the 2022 Gold Glove shortstop is a significant blow to the Astros. Peña has simply been the team’s best player this season.
His .868 OPS leads all MLB shortstops who have played more than 10 games at the position this year, and his total 4.63 WAR is second only the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge.
Peña’s defense-only WAR is 1.4, second among shortstops to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Taylor Walls, and tied for sixth among players at all positions.
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