Astros' Brian McCann to Undergo Knee Surgery; Expected to Miss 4-6 Weeks
July 3, 2018
Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann's ailing knee will require surgery and keep him out for an extended period of time.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that McCann is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing a procedure on his right knee.
Rosenthal added that Max Stassi will become Houston's primary catcher. The team recalled Tim Federowicz from Triple-A to serve as the backup.
Knee injuries have been an ongoing problem for McCann since last season, and he landed on the 10-day disabled list in May with right knee soreness.
The Astros acquired McCann from the New York Yankees in November 2016 following the emergence of Gary Sanchez as the Yanks' catcher of the future. He hit 18 home runs during his first season with the club and made 17 playoff appearances during its World Series run.
The seven-time All-Star stayed mostly healthy during his time New York. He ranked third among all catchers in games played between 2014 and 2015, per FanGraphs. He was limited to 97 contests last year because of a concussion and a knee injury, though.
Stassi has done an excellent job for the reigning World Series champions in 2018. The 27-year-old rookie is hitting .255/.335/.482 with seven homers in 48 games.
McCann should slide back into his usual platoon role once he returns to full strength. While the Astros will miss his production against right-handed pitchers, the star-studded team should have enough power elsewhere in the order to make up for it.
