Astros' Spencer Arrighetti breaks thumb in freak batting practice accident
Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti sustained an unfortunate injury on Monday prior to the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Arrighetti, 25, was hit by a line drive while playing catch in left field during batting practice and suffered a broken right thumb, the Astros said in a statement.
The injury to Arrighetti’s thumb was on his throwing hand. The team has not yet provided a timeline for his return.
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Arrighetti made two starts for the Astros this season and went 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA across 9.2 innings of work. Last season, Arrighetti appeared in 29 games and had 28 starts. He went 7-13 and had a 4.53 ERA across 145 innings and struck out 171 hitters.
Arrighetti’s absence is one the Astros can ill-afford, as their rotation was already hampered by injuries.
The team has four starting pitchers on the injured list, with some closer to returning than others. Lance McCullers Jr. has been rehabbing in Triple-A and could return soon.
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However, he is the only injured starting pitcher close to returning. J.P. France is expected to come back at the All-Star break at the earliest after he underwent surgery to repair a torn right shoulder last July.
Luis Garcia had a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery during spring training, and was transferred to the 60-day IL on Monday with elbow inflammation. Cristian Javier is still recovering from Tommy John surgery and will maybe return in the second half of the season.
In addition to being without McCullers, France, Garcia and Javier, they are now without Arrighetti.
The Astros are 4-6 to begin the season, but did beat the Mariners 4-3 on Monday. They will play the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday at 9:40 p.m. ET.
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