The Astros are off to a nice 3-1 start to the 2020 season, but the reigning American League champions are nonetheless facing plenty of injury-related issues at the moment. Ace and defending AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander is on the shelf with a forearm strain, 2019 AL Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez has been out for weeks and it’s unclear when he’ll debut this season, and the club has a handful of notable relievers battling arm troubles.
The Astros’ best setup man, Ryan Pressly, is now among the team’s wounded, as Brian McTaggart of MLB.com was among those to report that he’s fighting elbow soreness. Chris Devenski is dealing with the same malady, while another of the Astros’ righties – Austin Pruitt – has been shut down on account of his own elbow woes.
The 31-year-old Pressly was largely lights-out with the Twins and Astros from 2018-19, but injuries have slowed him dating back to late last season. Pressly underwent knee surgery in August, and while he did return to throw four innings of scoreless, one-hit ball with seven strikeouts and one walk at the end of September, he experienced more discomfort during the playoffs and was shellacked for 12 hits and seven earned runs in 5 2/3 October frames. Pressly still hasn’t pitched this year, though the severity of his newest injury isn’t known right now.
Devenski, who was subpar from 2018-19 after back-to-back terrific campaigns, has already taken the mound twice this season. The first of those showings went well, but he was the losing pitcher Sunday after giving up three earned runs in an inning of work. Pruitt, meantime, continues to await his Astros and 2020 debuts. They acquired the swingman from the Rays over the winter, but arm injuries – first to his shoulder – have weighed him down.
If Pressly and Devenski join Pruitt and the also-injured Brad Peacock in missing time, it will leave Houston with no established relievers aside from closer Roberto Osuna and fellow veteran Joe Biagini. As McTaggart points out, the Astros have a whopping eight rookies in their bullpen.
This is exactly wtf they get
Yes, celebrate injuries to human beings. You – and by you I mean you, as well as those like you – are just the worst. I wish you no harm, just the knowledge that you’re awful.
There’s a difference, a large difference, between celebrating injuries and saying unapologetic cheaters who dodged punishment from a spineless commissioner are finding out karma doesn’t mess around.
They were caught stealing signs and now karma is stealing any chance they have of winning the division.
dont try and justify that sentiment. its wrong, plain and simple.
Who is tied for first in the AL West this morning with the largest run differential in MLB?
They got the stiffest team penalty in the history of MLB. Drama queen much?
The Astros are a repugnant organization as are the fans who attempt to defend them.
@pc01, @Wyoming
If the injuries were to the 2017 line-up then fair enough… it’s probably better than pitchers taking it into their own hands and beaning Altuve etc.
Given it’s elbow injuries to bullpen hands who weren’t in Houston at the time though, I think Karma left his/her glasses at home.
The fact that two or three members of the current bullpen are so young they’re yet to be weaned is an A’s fan a fortunate bi-product…
Ever heard of schadenfreude?
Small village in Bavaria, no? Originators of the delicious black forest gateaux.
I got an uncle who lives near London. My mom’s side of the family is from Northern Ireland.
Norn Iron, as the locals pronounce it. Much misunderstood and very scenic once you get out and about….
Exactly, pc01
Not a single one of the injured people are hitters from the 2017 team. Imagine celebrating their injuries.
It wasn’t only the 2017 team that cheated it was for 3 years to 2016. MLB investigated and covered it up. The problem people have with the Astros is they are not sorry for cheating just they got caught. They pretended only a few players did it instead of the whole team knew about it. JV knew about it so don’t pretend he was innocent.
Along with the ws trophy!
Makes sense…
After all…
– Frank Thomas’ chronic injuries in the latter part of his career were a direct result of the Black Sox scandal
– Barry Bonds never won a World Series because of the ’51 Giants’ cheating scandal
– Judge and Stanton can’t play full seasons because of the Yankees’ cheating scandals
– Mookie Betts stubbed his toe this one time before entering Fenway. Looked painful enough. BAM. Direct result of Sox cheating.
Haha! Good one!
LOL. You seriously need to get a life
Is this going to be the response every time something bad happens to a member of this team? If so I hope MLBTR turns off comments on Astro stories.
That karma is a witch with a capital B?
Fans have every right to voice their displeasure with the Astros this year since it was this past off season their transgressions came to light.
Don’t like it? Don’t read the comment section on Astros articles.
Agreed
Agreed
Hey, guess what. The Yankees or the Dodgers or whichever team you’re a fan of? NEVER GETTING THAT 2017 TROPHY.
Grow up and move on.
Please. I realize that it is standard operating procedure when you are attacked to play the victim. However the Astros are in no way victims, they are perpetrators. When a perpetrator cheats and does not receive punishment, justice is not served. Complaining that people are wishing the Astros ill will is like a rapist complaining that their victim scratched their face. It’s like Kim Jong getting offended that his people don’t like him. They, like the Astros, have no right to talk.
Seriously? You’re comparing the Astros to North Korea?
Wishing the Astros players good health. But hope they lose this year…fair and square.
Completely with you on this.
What’s done is done. MLB should of punished them more but they didn’t so non Astros fans have to deal with it. The Astros and there fans don’t care what anyone thinks because the bottom line is that they won a Championship. It may be the only one they get so regardless of how it was won Houston doesn’t care what the rest of World thinks. If they did they themselves would remove the Trophy and rings from everyone involved.
The bottom line is thanks to the Astros, some one of us finally got to see a team we like win it all. That is OUR tainted championship. The Astros cheated, but we’re never gonna forget what they did for this city after Harvey by winning that championship. People are gonna say and think whatever they want regardless. Some people think the Rockets back to back titles should have asterisks by them due to not beating Jordan so I guess its oddly fitting if people think the Astros championship should have one too. If you want it taken away, give us a championship that isn’t tainted.
Maybe you need an edit check before posting?
Or perhaps I can edit as much as I want in the allowed time? Edit: I bettter edit this.
Nice try, but comparing the cheaters to the Rockets is pathetic. The Asstros are cheaters, and no amount of “feel good” for the city is going to wipe that stink away. Cant say that I’m sorry to see their troubles, and I hope their arrogance is turned to humility by it. Worst thing the Commish did was NOT punishing them. They were exposed as cheaters but paid no price and that leaves them no place to go. If punished they could have picked themselves up and moved on. People would always remember them as cheaters, but cheaters that paid their due. Now…… just arrogant cheaters with no remorse. Enjoy that title, I’m sure it means so much.
Both have an asterisk in the eyes of many people. You’re just reinforcing what I said: people are going to say and think whatever they want. We will enjoy that title, as it means a lot to us and this city.
Oh man I feel just awful for this organization. You hate to see it happen to such a classy group of people.
Don’t feel sorry for us. We don’t need your sympathy. I feel sorry for all of those who can’t get over the fact that this is a good team that will continue to win and be in the upper ranks of the league.
Always sad to hear when the Astros get hit with bad luck.
We will overcome
The best thing for the Astros this season is the lack of fan noise. Now, they can signal opposing teams’ pitches with just a tap on a trash can or switch to something like coughing. “No, I wasn’t cheating…all that coughing was probably just covid.”
The jealousy is amazing and I love it!!!
the denial that it didn’t help them win is more amazing.
I wonder if Yankee fans will yell “Karma” if Cole starts having elbow soreness.
the denial that it didn’t help them win is more amazing.
Three years ago….some folks need to let it go…
Anyway, there is a lot of …”he’s my guy” going on..
I remember during the first spring training this year…marisnick. 17 astro….won a game for the mets with a big hit… Mets fans went crazy…..met players high giving and hugging…..he’s a cheater, but he’s our cheater
The same thing happened in the Minnesota camp with Marwin Gonzalez
I have to just laugh at how phony some people are…