WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Houston Astros All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña may miss Opening Day because of the broken finger that caused him to be sidelined for the World Baseball Classic.
Peña, who fractured his right ring finger after fielding a hard groundball for the Dominican Republic during a pre-WBC exhibition game on Wednesday, will be evaluated in two weeks. The Astros open on March 26 at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
"I feel like the last 48 hours have been very uncertain, but it is what it is," Peña told reporters Friday. "Injuries are a part of the game. I wish I was out there playing with the guys."
Peña is expected to continue baseball drills over the next week. The 28-year-old was a first-time All-Star last year, when he hit .304 with 17 homers, 62 RBIs, 20 stolen bases and an .840 OPS.
"The goal is to try to be ready for Opening Day," Peña said. "I don't know how it's going to heal. I don't know what the process is going to be like, but the goal is always to try to join the team for Opening Day."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
