The Astros announced that first baseman Jose Abreu has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 10), and that right-hander Phil Maton has been placed on the 15-day IL. Abreu is dealing with lumbar spine inflammation while Maton has a right elbow contusion. Infielder David Hensley and left-hander Parker Mushinski were called up from Triple-A in corresponding moves.
Abreu’s back has been an issue for both the last few days, and for much of the season, as he revealed to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome (Twitter links) and other reporters today. The IL placement seemed to be sparked when an MRI revealed the inflammation, and Abreu received two cortisone shots to help ease the discomfort.
The back problem continues what has been a rough debut season for the veteran first baseman in Houston. After signing a three-year, $58.5MM free agent contract with the Astros last winter, Abreu has stumbled to a .234/.291/.343 slash line and 10 homers over 464 plate appearances. Abreu and the Rockies’ Jurickson Profar each have a 75 wRC+, tied for the lowest wRC+ of any player in baseball with at least 450 PA in the 2023 campaign.
It has been a surprising result for a player who was so consistently productive over his nine previous seasons with the White Sox, and yet Abreu made a point of not using his back problems as an excuse, telling Rome and company “this is not a justification for the hitter I’ve been for the past four months.”
The Astros selected Jon Singleton’s contract from Triple-A earlier this week, and the former top prospect will continue to get a good chunk of the first base playing time while Abreu is sidelined. Hensley and Mauricio Dubon could also chip in, though Houston might also opt to use Yainer Diaz more often at the cold corner, when Diaz isn’t catching. The rookie has hit very well in his first extended taste of MLB action, and the Astros have been using first base and the DH spot to keep Diaz in the lineup when Martin Maldonado is behind the plate.
Maton was hit in the elbow by a line drive in Friday’s game, which forced him to make an early exit from his relief outing. Rome reports that initial x-rays didn’t show a fracture, but Maton will undergo more x-rays and an MRI in due course.
Injuries have plagued Houston’s rotation all season, but the bullpen has been relatively healthy, and a big reason why the Astros have been able to largely withstand their thinned-out starting staff. Maton has enjoyed a very solid campaign, posting a 3.04 ERA and an above-average 26.2% strikeout rate. Though Maton isn’t a hard thrower and his walk rate is below average, he has elite spin rates and his fastball and curveball, and his 23.1% hard-hit ball rate is the lowest in the majors.
The Astros can only hope that the further scans don’t reveal a more serious problem for Maton, as the club needs their bullpen to keep contributing during the playoff push. Houston already added to their relief depth in acquiring Kendall Graveman at the trade deadline, a move that looks even shrewder now that Maton will miss at least the next 15 days.
Blessing in disguise. Both struggling lately.
To be fair, Hensley has struggled even more.
A reunion is most certainly not apart of the team Luhnow built
Astros fan or not, great moment yesterday seeing Singleton blast two home runs. Perseverance like that is always fun to watch.
If they have to amputate on Abreu let it be that ugly, Lou Albano, shrunken head beard. I’d rather see someone with advanced leprosy, than look at that nasty chin fungus.
Cry about it Curly.
I cry for you Ghost, and your sad, lacking post.
Write something with an actual baseball opinion.
Wait wernt you crying about “chin fungus” anyways go watch the Yankees dude, you’ll fit right in? Baseball enough?
You crying again?
Hee hee triggered
Mlb proves that they are forgiving to former mlb players. Career minor leaguers or minor league players, not so much
Now that Abreu is an Astro, I’ll make the best of it. He’s here, he contributes to winning, happy to stick with that;
BUT
There is no way I would have advocated acquiring him to begin with, and CERTAINLY not at 19.5 Million a year – we could have kept Gurriel for 2 million or less.
There is nothing that teams do that is more often a slam dunk negative than acquiring stud sluggers works out to be, almost every single time.
And it has been a particular bane of the Astros over the decades :
We traded Mike Cuellar to the Orioles for Curt Blefary, because one of the most foolish front offices was jonesing for a power bat.
THEN, we tried to get Donn Clendenon from the Expos, and he refused to report, and we still lost Rusty Staub in the deal.
THEN (same power lust), we acquired Lee May from the Reds. For Joe Morgan. And Jack Billingham. And Cesar Geronimo.
Then (same idiotic thinking) we signed free agent Carlos Lee for about the same money we’re paying Abreu.
None of these things, prior to Abreu, contributed to winning. I want Abreu to stick around for a while, now that he’s an Astro; but Jeff Luhnow NEVER would have signed him as a free agent.
To be fair, Carlos Lee aged well with that (awful awful) contract
Astros Hot Takes: It just amazes me that more than one team were after Abreu this past off-season. Don’t they have scouts? Don’t they check numbers? It was obvious that Abreu was in decline last season. He had the worst RBI and HR totals of his career. He didn’t even lead the Sox l
Astros Hot Takes: It just amazes me that more than one team were after Abreu this past off-season. Don’t they have scouts? Don’t they check numbers? It was obvious that Abreu was in decline last season. He had the worst RBI and HR totals of his career. He didn’t even lead the Sox in either category. You’re right. The Astros should’ve held onto Gurriel. (finished my post after this site ended it before I was done.)
Avenger, i like the guy, and he seems to fit right in over here, but it was a heck of an overpay, from a team which has made very few bad personnel decisions over the last decade.
I will always Lunhow for his rebuild. He changed the game and turned the Astros into the new Yankees.
But
He’s gone. As is Click, who I actually never made a bad move. (He seemingly argued about Dusty with lineups, but who wouldn’t?) Now, it’s Dana Brown’s team and the franchise is in a completely different place than it was in 2011. I don’t expect Dana to be Lunhow. I just want a great farm system that continues to churn out unknowns who become contributors.
Always love Lunhow*
@84, I think Abreu was a Crane/Bagwell signing – Crane has been GENIUS for an owner in hiring Luhnow and re-vamping everything, and I don’t particularly object to the Grienke trade – it worked out fine – but that was ALL Crane, pushing Luhnow, against Luhnow’s better judgement, I believe.
“I just want a great farm system that continues to churn out unknowns who become contributors.”
Amen! Also, want to make sure we continue to have 8 or 9 very viable starting pitchers every year. Right now, we have 3 of the 4 latinos, Verlander, Brown, France, and Bielak (when needed), plus a useful Blanco (when needed). Hopefully, McCullers & Luis Garcia back next year.
Remember 2017 post-season, we had 7 starter dudes starting, tandeming, opening, closing : Verlander, Keuchel, Morton, Mchugh, Musgrove, McCullers, and Brad Peacock!
Last year, down the stretch (6-man rotation) & post-season, we had 7 pretty lights-out starters. Verlander, Framber, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, Brown, & McCullers.
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH STARTING PITCHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blah blah blah Astros
But
Cheatros
Plus Gurriel is fun he make funny faces of opposing pitchers to keep the clubhouse light
Altuve is on fire, and the unheralded and unranked rookie JP France on his way to win # 9 (2.74 ERA, 9-3 if Astros hold on)
Love this team
I’d bet money Abreu’s back has been nagging him all along. Not good when an older player starts having back problems. Hoping Singleton finds his groove…
That makes sense with the performance and gives the Astros reason to believe the next two years of the contract might actually have potential, if they can fix his back.
astros_fan_84: Once you hurt your back, it’s always going to hurt to varying degrees.
Unfortunately, I know.
Its hard to imagine Singleton would put up worse numbers than Abreu. I think this is serving as an opportunity for Singleton’s audition.