World Baseball Classic: Jose Altuve needs surgery on broken thumb from HBP, no return to Astros schedule
The 2023 World Baseball Classic has had another major injury to its ledger.
Houston Astros All Star Jose Altuve, who plays for Venezuela, has a broken thumb sustained during Saturday’s game against the United States after taking a 96-mph fastball from a pitcher. Daniel Bard Handed
The Astros announced Sunday that Altuve will need surgery on his broken thumb, and there is no schedule for his return.
Here’s a look at the ballpark that broke Altuve’s thumb. He quickly hit the ground after pitch contact, and was escorted off the field by a coach while clearly in pain. He was replaced at second base by Louis Rengifo or the Los Angeles Angels.
Pitch after hit was the ugliest moment for an ugly inning by Bard, who opened the fifth inning with a walk, single, grounded, HBP, wild pitch and walk before being pulled by Team USA manager Mark DeRosa. Tampa Bay Rays sincere Jason Adam. By the time Bard left, the bases were loaded with no outs and one run already.
Bard’s streak got worse after his departure, as Venezuela finished leading the game 6-5 after trailing 5-2.
The risk of injury playing in the World Baseball Classic has been a bustling topic of conversation ever since New York Mets Closer Edwin Diaz He tore his patellar tendon while celebrating Puerto Rico’s victory at the end of a game of pool. DÃaz, last year’s NL Reliever of the Year, is He is expected to miss the entire MLB season.
With Venezuela eliminated from the WBC after losing to Team USA on Saturday night, the impact of the injury fell entirely on the Astros. Altuve is coming off a championship-winning season with the Astros hitting . 300/. 387/. 533 with 28 homers and 18 steals and earning his eighth All-Star nod, his sixth Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting. He’s a major cog in the Astros’ machine, and replacing the bat and glove in the lineup is very difficult – if not impossible – to do.
