As the Houston Astros see the calendar about to turn from August to September, all eyes may be on the troubling elbow of Alex Bregman. Bregman, the everyday third baseman for the team, missed some games this weekend. He was out while dealing with right elbow inflammation.
Bregman returned to the Astros lineup as a designated hitter on Wednesday afternoon. He hit a solo home run in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox, Houston’s lone run in a 4-1 loss. While his hitting stroke has been much improved since early this season, what about playing in the field?
Houston Astros Have Issues
There’s a chance Bregman doesn’t do as much. Bregman talked with Chandler Rome of The Atlantic about his current status with his tricky elbow.
“Some little gremlins in there are causing some swelling that I’m just going to have to try to mitigate through the rest of the year and keep the swelling out,” Bregman said Wednesday, according to CBS Sports. He added that his playing time in the field will be “kind of a fluid situation.”
Not having a healthy Bregman in the lineup at third base might turn problematic. He’s shown to have great range over there, going into foul territory and making on-point throws to first base.
What will the Houston Astros do to keep him part of the everyday lineup? Astros manager Joe Espada said on Thursday, before Houston opened up a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, that he might try Bregman out at first base. It’s a possibility that Bregman takes a game there during this seven-game road trip. The Astros go to Philadelphia for a three-game series after wrapping things up in Baltimore.
While putting Bregman at first base might look weird to some fans, let’s take a look at the first-base situation. Jose Abreu started the season over there and was atrocious. Abreu did not hit for power and didn’t add much to the team’s offense. He was designated for assignment and took his big contract with him.
In turn, Jon Singleton has been playing there, too. Singleton has shown an ability to hit home runs and put up RBIs this season. Yet the team probably also wants more production from the position. Therefore, if Bregman finds it uncomfortable to throw across the diamond, then playing first base makes sense.
Bregman has made it clear that there’s no structural damage in his elbow. He also has stated that throwing or swinging the bat doesn’t bother his arm either. Yet a less-than-full healthy Bregman is cause for concern.
Astros Still Lead Seattle Mariners
The Houston Astros are still in first place, leading the Seattle Mariners by five games going into Thursday night’s game. The Mariners, according to reports, have fired manager Scott Servais. This move comes on the heels of a 1-8 road trip and a players’ only meeting. Those meetings either spur a team on or send it further down the losing scale.
Right now is a prime time for the Astros to put some space between them and Seattle. If they can do so, even on this road trip, then the Bregman issues might not be as urgent. Still, a healthy Bregman in September does matter a lot.
BREGGY’S BACK! #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/uE9qpfixwA
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 21, 2024
Remember, too, that outfielder Kyle Tucker is still recovering from a deep shin contusion. Missing Tucker’s offense and outfield play has also been an albatross around the Astros’ necks. Tucker keeps working on his running, fielding, and hitting skills before games. Yet there’s no solid news about his return.
Look for Shay Whitcomb and Zach Dezenzo to get more playing time at third base. Whitcomb hit out of the 8-hole Thursday night in Baltimore.
Another issue to remember about Alex Bregman is that he’s going to be a free agent. Any lack of ability toward playing all-out the rest of this season might affect how the Astros’ front office sees keeping him. It makes zero sense for the team to not do their best for a long-term deal. Bregman is a cornerstone of the Astros’ infield along with second baseman Jose Altuve.
The statistics show that Bregman is hitting .261 with 20 home runs and 25 doubles. Bregman has come a long way since his early-season woes. Yet that right elbow of his, along with Tucker’s shin, might become focuses of fans’ worries.
Speaking of the Astros’ outfield, just-acquired outfielder Ben Gamel started in right field on Thursday night. Gamel was acquired on Tuesday after being designated for assignment by the New York Mets, Sports Illustrated reports. In 18 games with the Mets this season, Gamel hit .217 with no homers or RBIs. The Astros hope hitting coach Alex Cintron can help fix whatever might be wrong with Gamel’s swing.
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