Roster move
Tony Kemp is called up after a collision with Jose Altuve sends Teoscar Hernandez to the disabled list.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A day after Teoscar Hernandez bruised his lower left leg in a nasty onfield collision with second baseman Jose Altuve, the Astros placed the justrecalled outfielder on the 10-day disabled list.
Outfielder/second baseman Tony Kemp was recalled from Class AAA Fresno to take Hernandez’s spot on the 25-man roster. Kemp joined the team at Progressive Field two hours before Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians, for which he was available off the bench.
Hernandez had joined the Astros only Tuesday afternoon as the corresponding move for Jake Marisnick’s placement on the seven-day concussion DL. Hernandez entered in right field in Tuesday’s seventh inning as a defensive replacement. An inning later, he needed the assistance of a cart to get back to the visitors’ clubhouse.
Hernandez said his leg felt better Wednesday but was still sore. Crutches rested in his locker as he spoke, but he said he used them only Tuesday night. As of Wednesday afternoon, he still walked with a limp.
“It’s going to be all right soon,” he said.
Like Hernandez’s would have been, Kemp’s stay on the Astros’ active roster is expected to be brief. Marisnick, who took swings in the batting cage Wednesday, is likely to return from the DL on Monday before the team’s series opener against the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park. In the meantime, Kemp will serve as a lefthanded-hitting bench bat who can play either the outfield or second base.
Kemp was batting .297 with a .342 on-base percentage in 74 at-bats at Class AAA. When Fresno manager Tony DeFrancesco phoned him Tuesday night to notify him of his call-up, Kemp was in a car with his fiancée, first baseman A.J. Reed and Reed’s wife about 115 miles outside of Lake Tahoe, where the two couples planned to spend the Grizzlies’ off day Wednesday.
After flying from Reno, Nev., to Denver to Cleveland, Kemp arrived at the ballpark around 4 p.m. local time Wednesday, just in time to take batting practice on the field with his teammates.
“I’ve felt good,” he said upon his arrival. “I’m definitely still missing some pitches, and there’s some early-season woes. But I’m still feeling good at the plate, still trying to incorporate the things I worked on in spring training to translate onto the field.”
Altuve, Springer out of the lineup
Exercising caution early in a six-month season, Astros manager A.J. Hinch wrote out his lineup Wednesday without either second baseman Jose Altuve or outfielder George Springer included.
Hinch said after the Astros’ 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Indians that only Springer was available off the bench, although Altuve said he felt good a day after colliding with outfielder Teoscar Hernandez in shallow right field.
The Astros appear to be simply playing it safe, especially with Springer, who hasn’t started since Saturday, when he exited with left hamstring discomfort.
“I think it’s just a day off basically because of what happened yesterday,” Altuve said before the game. “But I’m feeling good, way better than what I was expecting.”
Hinch didn’t give Altuve the chance to talk his way into the lineup, writing out the card before his typical three-hole hitter arrived at Progressive Field.
“I just showed up today, and A.J. said it’s going to be better if he gives me a day off, and I believe him, and we’re good,” Altuve said.
Hinch said Springer still isn’t 100 percent over his hamstring issue and that he will “continue to try to buy extra days for guys when needed.” Hinch didn’t plan on playing Springer on Tuesday but was forced to when Hernandez and Altuve exited the game.
“I talked to him (Tuesday) about a game plan that makes sense from my vantage point, and he continues to be available in a situation like last night where I put him in,” Hinch said.
Josh Reddick started in center field for a second consecutive game Wednesday, and Marwin Gonzalez manned second base. Usual cleanup hitter Carlos Correa occupied the three hole.
Odds and ends
The nine double-play ground balls Dallas Keuchel has induced in his five starts were two more than the pitcher with the next most, Toronto’s Marcus Stroman, coming into Wednesday’s games. … The Astros came into Wednesday having grounded into a major league-worst 30 double plays. Alex Bregman’s six tied him for third most among individual players. …
Class AAA starter Brady Rodgers, who’s on the minor league disabled list, is being evaluated by doctors after exiting his last start with an arm issue. … Righthanded reliever Jandel Gustave (right forearm tightness) has progressed to playing catch but has yet to get off a mound. It’s expected he will require an official rehab assignment before he’s ready to return to either the Astros or Class AAA. … Righthander David Paulino (bone bruise in pitching elbow) is still rehabbing at the Astros’ spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla.