Altuve likely out till June after surgery
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Astros second baseman Jose Altuve underwent surgery Wednesday to repair his fractured right thumb and will not resume baseball activities for at least two months, general manager Dana Brown said.
“Some guys heal faster than other guys, and he seems to be one of those guys,” Brown said. “But after a couple months, we’ll make an assessment, and hopefully, he’s coming along well. It looks like it’s going to be about two months.”
But resuming baseball activities is just a precursor for returning to a major league game. Altuve will require weeks more of ramp-up activities and minor league rehab assignments before the Astros can welcome him back into the lineup. A return to major league play in mid- or late June seems feasible.
Altuve suffered the fracture when he was hit by a pitch during Team Venezuela’s quarterfinal loss Saturday in the World Baseball Classic.
Altuve acknowledged he felt the fracture immediately after Team USA reliever Daniel Bard plunked him. Bard told USA Today this week “I feel terrible” about hitting Altuve.
Altuve had the surgery in Houston, where he will remain for the rest of spring training. The Astros are scheduled to fly back after Sunday’s Grapefruit League finale against the Marlins.
Brown said he remains in touch with other teams about outside acquisitions in the wake of Altuve’s injury, but the general manager seemed more bullish on the Astros’ internal options. David Hensley and Mauricio Dubón are primed for a second base timeshare in Altuve’s absence
“We’re definitely going to be in touch with clubs and talking to other teams, but we’re going to give our internal guys an opportunity to show us what they can do,” Brown said. “We really feel like we have some real options here.”
Brown misses final spring start
Hunter
Righthander Brown was scratched from his Grapefruit
League start Wednesday after experiencing lower back tightness during a workout Tuesday afternoon.
Dana Brown, who said the righthander was hurt doing jumping exercises on the team’s agility field, termed the move “precautionary” and described the pitcher as “day to day.” Hunter Brown was not available for comment.
“It’s one of those things where we’ll have to fill
you in with more details as the days go on, but we don’t think this is going to hinder him from starting,” Dana Brown said. “We have to get more information. It’s going to take a couple days to really see how he’s feeling.”
Hunter Brown is primed to begin the season in Houston’s starting rotation, which already is weakened by Lance McCullers Jr.’s forearm strain. Wednesday was scheduled to be Brown’s fifth and final start in Grapefruit League play.
Dana Brown did not specify how long — if at all — Hunter Brown would be shut down from throwing, but the GM seemed optimistic Brown still could slot into the team’s season-opening rotation.
Hunter Brown built his pitch count to 66 during his last Grapefruit League start. He threw nine innings across four spring training starts with five walks and 10 strikeouts.
Tucker’s ankle declared ‘fine’
Outfielder Kyle Tucker “is fine” after suffering a minor ankle sprain at the World Baseball Classic last weekend.
Tucker did not play for Team USA in its semifinal win over Cuba on Sunday or in the championship game loss to Japan on Tuesday night. Dana Brown said Tucker is “going to be back to full activities” when he returns to the team Thursday morning.
Tucker and closer Ryan Pressly were the Astros’ final two players still participating in the
World Baseball Classic. Pressly, like Tucker, did not appear in either of the last two games — but that is believed to be because of game situations.
Pressly reported to the Astros’ facility Wednesday morning. Tucker is expected to rejoin the club Thursday.