Astros Outfielder 'Not Physically There Yet' for Return

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will play in back-to-back rehab games on Friday and Saturday at Triple-A Sugar Land.

If he makes both starts, It will be the second time this week that Brantley has made back-to-back starts, certainly an encouraging sign that Brantley could be in position to help the Astros.

Well, tap the brakes just a bit. Brantley was at Minute Maid Park on Thursday going through pre-game workouts with the team, in advance of their home finale against the Boston Red Sox.

He and manager Dusty Baker talked about where Brantley is in his rehab and Baker told reporters, including MLB.com, that Brantley is “not physically there yet.”

“He's not ready and I told him, ‘let us know’ when he's ready because he's champing at the bit, but at the same time we can't afford to lose him again,” Baker said. “Sometimes you can't do anything about father time, as much as you want to. With the schedule winding down, we have to do what's right for him.”

The Astros are in Detroit to start a three-game series with the Tigers on Friday.

Brantley has participated in five games at Sugar Land since his rehab assignment began on Aug. 15. He has a .278 batting average, a .350 on-base percentage and a .444 slugging percentage, along with a home run and four RBI. He’s played both left field and designated hitter.

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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