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Astros' Michael Brantley Placed on IL Because of Right Quad Injury
August 15, 2020
Houston Astros outfielder and designated hitter Michael Brantley has been placed on the injured list retroactive to Wednesday, August 12, with right quad discomfort, per Mark Berman of Fox 26.
Brantley has hit .286 with one home run and eight RBI in 15 games for the Astros in 2020. He is in his 12th MLB season and second with Houston.
The 33-year-old excelled for the American League champion Astros in 2019, hitting .311 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI. He made his third straight AL All-Star team and fourth overall.
The .297 lifetime hitter has been sidelined because of injury numerous times in the past, notably playing just 11 games in 2016 after a pair of surgeries stemming from a right shoulder ailment that occurred late in the 2015 season, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. A severe right ankle injury hampered him in 2017.
But Brantley was excellent for Cleveland in 2018, hitting .309 with 17 home runs and 76 RBI.
Losing him for any amount of time could be tough for the Astros, who have started just 9-10. He has been the team's primary DH this season, usually hitting fourth in the lineup.
However, the club recently activated Yordan Alvarez from the injured list. The slugger hit 27 home runs in 87 games during his 2019 rookie year, and having that power bat should stem the tide of Brantley's loss.
Houston could also look toward 23-year-old Kyle Tucker to fill Brantley's spot in the lineup.