DENVER -- Last year, Astros manager Joe Espada kept a level head and never lost faith in his team when it stumbled to a 12-24 start in his first season at the helm. Espada’s steady hand was rewarded when the Astros turned their season around and won their seventh American League West title in eight years. Espada is being challenged again in 2025, but not because of the results on the field. The Astros have the third-best record in baseball (51-34) and a seven-game lead in the division over the Mariners. But Tuesday brought more bad health news for the Astros, who put shortstop Jeremy Peña on the injured list with fractured ribs and shut down slugger Yordan Alvarez from his rehab in West Palm Beach, Fla. Peña’s injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term, but Alvarez’s second setback is of more concern. He’s been out since May 2, but the Astros have gone 35-19. According to Spotrac, the Astros (1,019 days) had the third-most days on the injured list entering Tuesday behind the Dodgers (1,306) and Mets (1,064). |
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“I love how our team is responding to anything that’s happening,” Espada said Tuesday. “This is how we roll. This is how we do it. There’s no way around it. Teams are not going to feel sorry for us. I expect the players to get ready to play. We have some really good players, guys who are waiting to get an opportunity to play and we’ll find ways to win. Coming here and singing a sad song, that ain’t going to help.” While the Astros have played well without Alvarez, the loss of Peña will sting in the short-term. Peña has blossomed into the leader and has stepped up following the departure of Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker in the offseason, as well as the loss of Alvarez. Peña already has an ALCS and World Series MVP to his name, but swing changes, a revamped batting stance and improved plate discipline have him in the discussion to make his first All-Star team, though he didn’t advance past Phase 1 of the voting. He was slashing .322/.378/.489 with 11 homers, 40 RBIs and 15 stolen bases, while playing a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop, before being injured. Since being moved to the leadoff spot on April 27, Peña has a .353 batting average. Peña was struck in the ribs by a pitch in the second inning Friday and had trouble breathing while throwing the ball between innings, which led Espada to pull him from the game in the fifth. He came to the park Sunday with the intention of playing, but his side began bothering him after he took some swings. |
“We got some extra imaging done and that’s when we saw the small fracture,” Peña said. “It’s unfortunate, you know, but we’ll take it day by day. I don’t feel too bad. I don’t think it’s something too serious, but we’ll give it time and see to see how it plays out.” Neither Peña nor general manager Dana Brown wanted to give a timetable for Peña’s possible return, but if he could come back after the All-Star break, he could be the first in a line of Astros who could come off the IL in July and August. Among the six starting pitchers the Astros have on the IL, four are deep in rehab stints while working in West Palm Beach. Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and J.P. France are throwing live batting practice sessions, and Spencer Arrighetti has thrown a pair of bullpen sessions. Javier, Garcia and France are all coming off major arm surgeries, but Arrighetti is ramping up after breaking his thumb in April and should be the first of the group to return. “The team’s in a great position,” Peña said. “We have guys that come up from Triple-A and they contribute right away. I’m not worried in that aspect. Of course, I want to be out there. Of course, I want to be playing. I want to be feeling 100 percent if I’m going to go out there and play.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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The Astros return home Monday for their final homestand before the All-Star break and will wear their City Connect jerseys against the Guardians -- the first time they’ve worn them since May 12. The first 10,000 fans in attendance Monday will receive a City Connect Pool Bag. |
MATTHEWS, SANTA TO FUTURES GAME |
Infielder Brice Matthews, the Astros’ No. 1 prospect, and right-hander Alimber Santa (No. 29) were both selected to play in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, which is 3 p.m. CT July 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta. The prospect showcase is scheduled for seven innings and features players from the National League facing players from the AL. Matthews, a first-round pick out of Nebraska in 2023, is slashing .285/.404./490 with 10 homers, 39 RBIs and 23 stolen bases while playing second base at Triple-A Sugar Land. He’s performed even better of late, with a 1.010 OPS in his previous 45 games prior to Tuesday. Santa is a 22-year-old relief pitcher from the Dominican Republic who has a 1.27 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings at Double-A Corpus Christi. He was named Houston’s upper-level Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May after posting a 0.96 ERA in eight games. |
Meanwhile, a pair of other top prospects were promoted at the start of July: • Right-hander Bryce Mayer (No. 25) was promoted to Double-A after posting a 3.22 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) combined for Single-A Fayetteville and High-A Asheville. A 16th-round pick in the 2024 Draft, he’s scheduled to make his first Double-A start on Friday. • Right-hander Jose Fleury (No. 14) was promoted to Triple-A after going 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 10 starts for the Hooks, with 37 strikeouts and nine walks in 39 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Dominican has a 0.88 WHIP and .188 batting average against. |
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