Astros’ rotten luck continues with déjà vu injury to Alex Bregman

The Houston Astros began the season with Major League Baseball’s highest-paid bullpen, led by Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly. Expectations were high in Houston, but the Astros found themselves holding a 7-19 record at the beginning of May.

Houston managed to turn things around after the underwhelming start, but digging themselves out of a hole will be no easy task. The Astros have clawed back to a 30-36 record, which places them 6.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.

The club has been ravaged with injuries this season. Aces Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez both had stints on the injured list, while Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy will miss the remainder of the campaign after suffering season-ending injuries.

Astros star Alex Bregman gets hit by pitch — again

The injuries haven’t stopped coming for Houston. Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman was hit by a 93.4 mph pitch on his left hand in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome. The hit caused Bregman to exit the game.

It was a familiar feeling for Bregman, who was hit by a pitch on the same hand just a days ago. Last time around, the x-rays came back negative and he was able to return from the hit after missing just one game. With a second HBP, his bones may not be as kind.

The Astros were hoping to close out the three-game series against the Angels with a win on Sunday. After winning the first two games of the series, the Astros held a 7–4 lead in the eight inning of the third and final game before the Angels mounted a comeback. Los Angeles scorer two runs against Pressly in the eighth before sealing it in the bottom of the ninth with a home run by Logan O’Hoppe. Houston fell to the Angels, 9-7. 

Bregman’s early-season struggles haven’t helped the Astros, but he has managed to turn things around over the past two weeks. The 30-year-old raised his OPS more than 100 points in the past two weeks and has an OBP over .300 for the first time since April. He has slashed .391/.482/.696 through the first six games of June. He was 1-for-3 with an RBI double before he suffered the injury. 

If the Astros want to keep winning, they’ll need Bregman to return quickly once again. Despite his struggles at the plate, Bregman has been one of the best third basemen in the league.