Astros Outfielder Goes Back-To-Back in Injury Rehab Assignment

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley wrapped up back-to-back injury rehab games with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Saturday night.

Against Reno on Saturday, Brantley was the designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk. He was removed late in the game for a pinch-hitter.

In Friday’s game, Brantley started in left field and finished 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk in four plate appearances before he was pinch run for in the seventh.

This is the second time this week that Brantley has played in back-to-back rehab games. He did that on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week before spending Thursday working out with the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

After the back-to-back rehab games, Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Brantley was “not physically there yet” in terms of returning to the Major League roster.

Brantley has participated in seven games at Sugar Land since his rehab assignment began on Aug. 15. He is now batting .298 with a .900 OPS.

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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