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Jake Meyers

Lance McCullers Jr. Still Not Throwing; Jake Meyers Likely Out Remainder Of ALCS

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The Astros are one win from returning to the World Series, but if they advance, it looks increasingly possible that they’ll do so without the benefit of top starter Lance McCullers Jr. Manager Dusty Baker announced to reporters today that there’s no change with McCullers, who was ruled out for the ALCS (Twitter link via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale). The right-hander has not yet resumed throwing, which does not bode well for his World Series availability.

There’s similarly pessimistic news on center fielder Jake Meyers. The Astros aren’t replacing the promising rookie outfielder on the roster, but he’s unlikely to play again this series, according to Baker (via FOX 26’s Mark Berman). He could be available as a pinch-hitting or pinch-running option, however, and removing him from the roster mid-series would rule Meyers out for a potential World Series return. (Players removed from a postseason roster are ineligible to return for one full round  of play.) Meyers has been batting a shoulder injury and recently had a setback.

Formally losing McCullers would be a tough blow for an Astros club that has rallied back from a 2-1 deficit to take a 3-2 series lead over the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. McCullers exited after four innings in Houston’s decisive Game 4 victory over the White Sox in the American League Division Series after revealing to the team that he’d experienced forearm discomfort.

McCullers underwent an MRI after the fact, and while the team hasn’t provided a formal diagnosis, it’s said to be a muscular issue rather than a structural issue (i.e. ligament damage). While McCullers was not included on the ALCS roster, there was at least hope that he’d be able to return should Houston qualify for a World Series showdown against either the Dodgers or the Braves.

If it indeed proves that McCullers can’t return, Houston’s options in his absence include Framber Valdez, Zack Greinke, Jake Odorizzi, Cristian Javier and rookie Luis Garcia — the latter of whom will get the nod in Game 6, according to Baker.

McCullers, 28, signed a five-year, $85MM extension in Spring Training, forgoing a potential run at free agency. He responded with a career-high 28 starts and 162 1/3 innings, pitching to a 3.16 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate and 11.1% walk rate along the way.

Astros’ Jake Meyers Has Injury Setback

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Though Jake Meyers was included on the Astros’ ALCS roster, he has yet to return to action since suffering a shoulder injury in Game 4 of the ALDS.  Fresh doubt has now been cast on Meyers’ status for the rest of the series and perhaps the rest of the postseason, as Houston manager Dusty Baker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that Meyers suffered a setback and “was actually worse” health-wise yesterday, following a few days of seemingly progressing towards a return.

Meyers made a leaping attempt at a Gavin Sheets home run in the second inning of the Astros’ ALDS clincher against the White Sox, and after colliding with the wall, Meyers left the field with obvious discomfort in his left arm.  The Astros felt good enough about Meyers’ condition to put him on the ALCS roster, except since his shoulder problem was a pre-existing injury, Baker noted that the team now isn’t allowed to replace Meyers for the remainder of this series with the Red Sox.

Removing a player mid-playoff series due to injury means that player is ineligible for the following round, though even if Houston advances past Boston to reach the World Series, it would seem like Meyers might not be an option for the Fall Classic roster.  In the interim, Baker may have one less position player at his disposal for the rest of the ALCS.

The center field tandem of Meyers and Chas McCormick was a boon for the Astros in the regular season, as the two rookies delivered very strong defense and solid (107 OPS+) offense after Myles Straw was dealt to the Indians at the trade deadline.  Jose Siri, another rookie, has assumed Meyers’ part-time duties, starting in center field both in Game 3 of the ALCS and in today’s Game 5.  To his credit, Siri also hit well over the first 49 plate appearances of his big league career, and Meyers’ sample size (163 PA in the majors) isn’t much larger.

Injury Notes: Turner, Muncy, Garcia, Meyers

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Justin Turner isn’t in the starting lineup for Game 2 of the NLCS, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the third baseman is battling a neck stinger.  “He couldn’t turn his head to the right,” Roberts told MLB.com’s Juan Toribio and other reporters.  “Justin will do anything we ask, but I just don’t think it’s right to put him in that spot, and for us as a club, I think we have other options also.”  Chris Taylor will instead get the start at third base in Turner’s spot.

The injury first occurred during batting practice prior to Game 1, though Turner was well enough to play and went 1-for-4 in the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss to the Braves.  Roberts hopes Monday’s off-day will allow Turner to be ready for Game 3 on Tuesday, and Turner might only be used today in an emergency pinch-hit scenario.  Turner has yet to get going this postseason, as his hit in Game 1 was just his third of the playoffs; the veteran has only a .381 OPS through 30 plate appearances.

More injury notes from the postseason bracket…

  • Max Muncy updated reporters (including Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register) yesterday on the status of his dislocated left elbow.  While “the range of motion has actually been pretty decent the last couple days [and] we’re able to get more movement in it than we thought,” Muncy admitted that “it’s just one of those things where it’s not really close to normal and probably won’t be.  If we’re able to play, it’ll be essentially gutting through.”  Muncy said he has been participating in some unspecified rehab that may or may not be baseball activity-related, though he is also wearing a brace on his left arm at almost all times, even while sleeping.  The Dodgers didn’t include Muncy on their NLCS roster and it remains to be seen if he can be healthy enough to participate in the World Series, should Los Angeles get past the Braves.
  • Right knee discomfort forced Luis Garcia out of yesterday’s ALCS Game 2 in the second inning, though the Astros right-hander appears to have avoided serious injury.  Manager Dusty Baker told FOX 26’s Mark Berman (Twitter links) and other reporters that Garcia threw a bullpen session today, and the righty himself said “I feel really good, and I think whenever they say it’s time for me to get back on the mound I’ll be good to go.”  It isn’t known when Garcia might be able to pitch again, or if he’d be used in a starting or a relief capacity.  Garcia only threw 33 pitches in Game 2, but was also torched for five runs on three walks and two hits, including a J.D. Martinez grand slam.
  • Baker also told Berman and other media that Jake Meyers was throwing today, and the outfielder is doing better in the wake of his left shoulder injury from Game 4 of the ALDS.  Meyers collided with the outfield wall in pursuit of a Gavin Sheets home run and had to leave the field in the second inning.  The Astros included Meyers on their ALCS roster though he has yet to make an appearance against the Red Sox.

Astros’ Jake Meyers Leaves ALDS Game 4 Due To Shoulder Discomfort

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2:43PM: Meyers left the game due to left shoulder discomfort, the Astros announced.

2:23PM: An apparent injury to his left arm forced Astros center fielder Jake Meyers to depart in the bottom of the second inning of Game 4 of the ALDS series between the Astros and White Sox.  Meyers collided with the outfield fence while trying to make a leaping catch of a Gavin Sheets home run, with Meyers’ left arm taking the brunt of the impact.  The center fielder was in obvious discomfort but attempted to stay in the game, testing his arm on a few light throws before finally being replaced by Chas McCormick.

Should the Astros win today and clinch the series, no roster maneuvers will be needed to address Meyers’ situation until the ALCS.  If the White Sox win Game 4 and force a Game 5, the Astros can only replace Meyers with another player for that decisive game if the Commissioner’s Office grants approval.  In that scenario, Meyers would be ineligible to play in the ALCS but could return to the World Series, if healthy.

More will be known about Meyers’ condition after the game, though an injury absence would be a very unfortunate turn of events for both Meyers and the Astros on the heels of the 25-year-old’s solid rookie season.  Originally a 13th-round pick for Houston in the 2017 draft, Meyers posted a 1.006 OPS over his first 304 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this season, leading to his first big league call-up.

After Myles Straw was dealt to the Indians at the trade deadline, Meyers and fellow rookie McCormick became Houston’s regular center field tandem, each delivering above-average offense and defense.  Meyers hit .260/.323/.438 with six homers in 163 plate appearances, while posting a +4.9 UZR/150 and +3 Defensive Runs Saved over 293 1/3 innings in center field.  Game 4 marked the third start of the series for Meyers, who had three singles and two RBI in his first seven trips to the plate in the postseason.

Should Meyers miss time, utilityman Marwin Gonzalez is probably Houston’s top choice to take his place on the ALDS or ALCS roster, as Gonzalez’s versatility at least gives the Astros some flexibility in determining how to juggle the lineup.  McCormick likely becomes the top choice in center field with Jose Siri as the chief depth option, though the Astros could conceivably use Kyle Tucker as a center fielder in a pinch.  Moving Tucker to center field would then open up room for Gonzalez or currently-rostered utilityman Aledmys Diaz to get into the lineup in some capacity.

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