Altuve out indefinitely with fractured thumb suffered at WBC

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was diagnosed with a fractured right thumb after he was hit by a pitch during a World Baseball Classic game between Venezuela and the United States on Saturday, Houston general manager Dana Brown announced, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Altuve will undergo surgery and the team did not provide a timetable for his return, although ESPN's Jeff Passan reports the eight-time All-Star is expected to miss at least two months.

"I'm pretty good. I'm just going to go home, focus on whatever we need to do, stay with the team in the season, and root for them," Altuve said, according to the Houston Chronicle's Chandler Rome.

Altuve said he suspected his thumb was broken immediately after getting hit by United States pitcher Daniel Bard, per McTaggart.

"Obviously, nobody wants to get hurt and start the season on the (injured list)," Altuve said. "I want to control what I can control, and that's (to) recover fast and get back to the team."

Bard said he felt terrible after hitting Altuve.

"I was going sinker-in for a swing," the pitcher told USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "I missed up and in. You just hate to see it. You saw my reaction."

Altuve is a big part of the lineup for the reigning World Series champion Astros, posting a .921 OPS with 28 home runs, 39 doubles, and 18 stolen bases last season.

David Hensley and Mauricio Dubon will share second-base duties with Altuve sidelined, Brown said, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden.