10:15am: The Astros have now formally positioned McCormick on the injured listing. Additionally they optioned righty Nick Hernandez to Triple-A. Infielder Grae Kessinger and lefty Bryan King had been recalled from Triple-A in a pair of corresponding strikes.
10:05am: Astros outfielder Chas McCormick is headed to the 10-day injured listing with a small fracture in his proper hand, he advised the group’s beat final night time (video hyperlink by way of MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart). He suffered the harm upon colliding with the outfield fence whereas pursuing a foul ball. The fracture, situated “proper beneath” McCormick’s index finger, is “not a critical factor” and is sufficiently small that the outfielder remains to be hoping to return this season. There are simply 17 days left on the common season schedule, although one other deep postseason run for Houston might clearly make that return extra possible.
The group has but to formally announce the IL placement, although that’ll occur earlier than at present’s day sport towards the A’s. A corresponding transfer will probably be introduced on the time. With McCormick on the shelf, Houston’s outfield combine will encompass Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers, Jason Heyward and Ben Gamel — plus any potential call-up who takes his roster spot. Star proper fielder Kyle Tucker has performed completely as a chosen hitter and pinch-hitter since getting back from a monthslong absence because of what was initially termed a bone bruise however finally revealed to be a fractured shin. He’s collected two hits in 16 plate appearances.
The timing of the harm is irritating for McCormick — “disappointing” to make use of his personal phrases. The 28-year-old has been struggling by way of the worst season of his skilled profession and was even optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land final month, solely to return simply days later when Meyers was positioned on the paternity listing. McCormick doubled in his first sport again, collected two hits in his second sport and has performed effectively sufficient since that temporary minor league task that supervisor Joe Espada has been enjoying him commonly.
McCormick has tallied three multi-hit video games previously week and advised the ’Stros beat the he was “feeling like [him]self lastly” on the plate when the harm occurred. It’s clearly a minuscule pattern, however he’s hitting .417/.440/.583 over his previous 25 journeys to the plate. That’s solely boosted his season slash to .211/.271/.306, however he was clearly trending in the proper route.
Solely time will inform whether or not McCormick can certainly make it again this season. He’s on the mercy of how rapidly the small break in his hand mends and at how deep his teammates can progress within the postseason (assuming they certainly qualify; FanGraphs offers them a 94% probability to take action in the meanwhile). Each harm performs out in another way, nevertheless, and it’s not but clear who Houston will face within the occasion that they do certainly attain the playoffs for a ninth straight season.
Previous to this yr’s dreadful marketing campaign, McCormick was a quietly productive member of a perennial World Collection contender in Houston. He batted .273/.353/.489 with a career-high 22 homers in 2023 and entered the present season as a lifetime .259/.336/.449 hitter with notably formidable numbers towards lefties and high quality defensive rankings throughout all three outfield spots. McCormick is incomes $2.85MM and is managed for 2 extra seasons by way of arbitration.
