Hinch calls Paulino suspension ‘a punch in the gut’

A day after Major League Baseball suspended Astros starter David Paulino 80 games, effectively ending his season, for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, manager A.J. Hinch described the news as a “reality check or a slap in the face to an entire team that things aren’t the same every day.”

Paulino will not appeal his suspension and will not be eligible for the playoffs.

The 23-year-old Dominican righthander tested positive for Boldenone, a derivative of testosterone used on horses, that is on MLB’s banned substance list.

Paulino had not pitched well — 6.52 ERA in six starts — but general manager Jeff Luhnow had praised him as a significant prospect. The suspension sent a ripple of discomfort through the team’s clubhouse.

“When a guy makes a decision to do something like that and the league’s drug program steps up,” Hinch said, “I don’t know if it’s a reality check or a slap in the face to an entire team that things aren’t the same every day. It’s an adjustment when one of your guys is impacted. Similar to a family, react accordingly.”

In the short term, losing Paulino damages an Astros rotation wracked by injuries.

Hinch has relied on the bullpen more as starters Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers Jr., Charlie Morton and Joe Musgrove were injured within the last month.

“Long term, any time you cut into the depth of your rotation it impacts you, especially this rotation that’s been challenged by some injuries and questions about its depth and what possibilities that we have,” Hinch said. “It’s very unfortunate.”

The Astros head to Atlanta and then Toronto to finish their schedule before the All-Star break. Brad Peacock will start Tuesday. The Astros will need a starter for Wednesday, which likely will be Musgrove, who was optioned to Class AAA last weekend after his ERA skyrocketed to 6.01.

Although Keuchel had said there was a chance he could start in Toronto, he has not thrown off a mound and is aiming to return after the All-Star break.

The Astros have expected that Collin McHugh, who has been out all season because of an impingement in his right, pitching elbow, will also return after the break. He pitched one inning for Corpus Christi in his first rehab start last Friday. He threw 42 pitches and allowed four runs on seven hits, one walk and one hit batter.

Hinch finished his assessment of the pitching staff by returning to the ripple effect of Paulino’s suspension.

“Long term, I think we’re going to be able to absorb it,” Hinch said. “In the short term, it’s a punch in the gut for a lot for reasons.”