Houston Astros star Jose Altuve will be sidelined 8-to-10 weeks with a broken right thumb sustained while playing for Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic, USA Today reported Sunday.
The All-Star second baseman was struck in the hand by a pitch in the fifth inning of Saturday night’s 9-7 quarterfinal loss to Team USA in Miami.
Altuve immediately exited the game after being hit by an up-and-in fastball from right-hander Daniel Bard, who hit two batters and also threw two wild pitches.
Altuve sustained the second major injury associated with this World Baseball Classic tournament. New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz endured a full thickness tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury that will require surgery. Diaz is expected to miss the 2023 season.
Altuve, 32, is heading into his 13th season with the Astros. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time batting champion, two-time World Series champion and the 2017 American League MVP.
He is a career .307 hitter with 192 home runs, 696 RBIs and 279 stolen bases in 1,578 games since making his Astros debut in 2011.
–Field Level Media