Martes out for the year following surgery
Francis Martes underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, Astros general manager
Jeff Luhnow said. Once the 15th-best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America, Martes was shut down in June with what Luhnow termed a right elbow injury. The surgery will sideline him for “12 to 16 months,” according to Luhnow.
Martes posted a 6.75 ERA in only 18⅔ innings at Class AAA this season prior to his injury. His last Class AAA start on April 29 featured eight walks in 4⅓ innings.
Martes threw one inning in the Gulf Coast League on Aug. 2 during a rehab assignment, allowing one hit and striking out one. Luhnow said Martes’ surgery was performed in Houston.
Martes, who is still on the Astros’ 40-man roster, made four starts and threw 54⅓ innings for last year’s World Series championship team.
“I’m disappointed for him,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday. “We felt like he was a weapon for us in a variety of roles. He would’ve been a pretty easy decision to start on Tuesday, when we have an opening, given his stuff and how we had expected his year to go.
“It’s the worst fear when a pitcher talks about injuries. This is a massive injury that’s going to take a long time. In this industry we know how to rehab this and get past this. Many pitchers come back and be even better than they were before.”
Altuve progressing; no return date set
Second baseman Jose Altuve (right knee soreness) took batting practice, groundballs and ran on the field at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday.
The Astros have an off day Thursday, but manager A.J.
Hinch said Altuve will use the day to continue rehabbing his knee.
Despite the encouraging signs of progress, Altuve does not have a timetable for his return.
“Everyone wants to know a timeline,” Hinch said. “I do too.”
Hinch did not rule out bringing Altuve on the road trip to Oakland and Seattle.
As for George Springer (left thumb sprain), Hinch expressed little doubt that the center fielder
will play against the A’s on Friday.
Chris Devenski (left hamstring tightness) pitched twothirds of an inning for Class AAA Fresno on Tuesday night. He faced four batters and allowed two hits. He is scheduled to pitch again on Friday.
Hinch plans to keep starter options open
Manager A.J. Hinch has been coy about who might start in place of the injured Lance McCullers Jr. on Tuesday. He said he likely will not make a decision until “Monday night.”
Although he could stitch the game together with startersturned-relievers Collin McHugh and Brad Peacock, Hinch fed the fascination in baseball this season surrounding the “opener” experiment that Rays manager Kevin Cash is conducting.
Hinch admired Cash enough to invite him on to his All-Star Game staff, but the Astros manager also has been skeptical that Cash’s approach could lead to a winning ball club. The Rays have hovered around .500..
But Hinch skated a line between sarcasm and serious consideration when the topic came up Wednesday.
“Nowadays everybody in the bullpen is a candidate. You can start anybody. And it’s really cool. And everybody likes it.”
“All my options are open,” Hinch said.