Coach back after cancer diagnosis
HOUSTON — Gary Pettis looked to his left and the carousel of congratulations began.
Owner Jim Crane made a rare pregame appearance on the field to wish him well and wrap him in a bear hug. Michael Brantley cracked a smile and snuck up on his outfield coach from behind. A black mask concealed the wide smile Pettis could not erase.
“I felt good prior to coming here, but I feel even better now,” Pettis said. “It’s just so much fun being back in a place where I have so many good memories of baseball games and celebrations. I’m happy. I’m excited and, hopefully, this will lead to another celebration at the end of the year.”
The Astros’ beloved third-base coach brought his trademark windmill back to Minute Maid Park for the first time in 10 months. Pettis rejoined the club in a reduced capacity before its series opener against the Oakland A’s after battling multiple myeloma, but plans to resume full duties later this season.
Pettis stepped away from the team in September 2020 following his diagnosis. On Tuesday, Pettis said he is three months removed from his final cancer treatment and on a maintenance program that requires medication each day.
Doctors did give Pettis the option to put off his treatments until after the season, but he responded so well to initial care that Pettis did not want to risk a setback.
“I’ve always fought whatever was in front of me head-on,” Pettis said. “This was another challenge for me. I think that’s part of the reason why I did so well in the treatment. I’ve always been one to challenge myself to stay in shape over the years.”
Though he will travel with the team throughout the second half of the season, Pettis will not return to his full duties immediately.
He spent most of Tuesday afternoon patrolling the outfield during batting practice and offering instruction.
During games, Pettis — who also coaches the team’s outfielders and baserunning — plans to be in the dugout to assist manager Dusty Baker, bench coach Joe Espada and Omar Lopez, the man who has taken Pettis’ place in the third-base coach’s box.
Though he lauded Lopez’s work in his absence, Pettis said it is his “hope” to return to the coach’s box this season, but did not offer a timetable for when it may occur. In any capacity, Pettis emanated joy being back in the ballpark he missed for so long.
“I missed it. I did. I watched just about every game,” Pettis said. “Baseball has been my life. It’s in my blood. It’ll always be there and I plan on doing this a very long time. I would much rather be at my real home, which is third base, but I’m close enough right now. That’s good enough for me.”
Abreu comes off IL, rejoins bullpen
The Astros activated reliever Bryan Abreu from the injured list before Tuesday’s series opener against the Athletics.
Abreu missed 34 games with a strained right calf he suffered while shagging fly balls during pregame batting practice in May. He made four appearances for Triple-a Sugar Land during a minor league rehab assignment, striking out six and walking one across 41⁄3 innings.
Houston optioned Ralph Garza Jr. to Sugar Land on Monday night as a corresponding move. Its bullpen now contains Abreu, Brandon Bielak, Andre Scrubb, Cristian Javier, Brooks Raley, Blake Taylor, Ryne Stanek and All-star closer Ryan Pressly.
Veteran sidearmer Joe Smith appears close to a return from elbow discomfort, too, perhaps as early as this series against the A’s. When Smith is activated, Bielak or Scrubb seems the most likely to be demoted.