Astros Outfielder Brantley Joins Team in Boston: Report

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley is in Boston with the team and could be activated in the next couple of days, per a report by MLB.com.

The Astros have not made an official announcement on Brantley’s status.

Brantley’s activation would be great news for the Astros, who have been waiting for the veteran outfielder to be ready to return from shoulder surgery that ended his 2022 season.

Brantley just wrapped up a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he’s been playing center field and designated hitter in between workouts at Minute Maid Park with the Astros.

Last week saw Brantley play two sets of back-to-back games, something the Astros wanted to see before activation.

In seven games at Sugar Land, he batted .348 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI.

Brantley’s recovery from a shoulder injury has had fits and starts.

The Astros lost Brantley last August when he had right shoulder surgery for a torn labrum. At the time, Brantley was batting .288 and had a .370 on-base percentage, which was ranked second on the team. This came after four straight seasons in which he hit .300 or better. Despite losing Brantley, the Astros were able to win their second World Series in six years.

The Astros re-signed Brantley in the offseason, knowing that he would need a good portion of the 2023 season to be ready to play.

He started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land in late April, but a setback caused the Astros to transfer him on the 60-day injured list in June. That was shortly before Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Brantley need to take a break from preparing to return, as he had “plateaued.”

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