The defending World Sequence champions, the Houston Astros, won’t embody second baseman Jose Altuve, who was injured in the course of the World Baseball Basic, of their Opening Day lineup.
Altuve broke his proper thumb within the quarter-final towards the USA whereas taking part in in his residence nation of Venezuela within the WBC. He was hit by an errant fastball from Daniel Chicken within the fifth inning.
I knew Altuve was out of the sport and critically injured. The USA defeated Venezuela 9-7 in Trea Turner’s Grand Slam, and Venezuela was eradicated from the match. USA defeated Cuba within the semifinals and can face Japan in his WBC ultimate on Tuesday evening.
Altuve wasn’t the one MLB star to go down with harm in the course of the WBC. New York Mets nearer Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending knee harm whereas taking part in in Puerto Rico. I ruptured the patellar tendon in my proper knee at a celebration.
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Altuve present process surgical procedure, future doubtful
Altuve was an eight-time MLB All-Star and a key member of two World Sequence championship groups. He gained the American League MVP in his 2017 and gained the Gold Glove Award in 2015. He’s additionally a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a three-time he’s the AL Batting Champion. The speedy Altuve additionally led the AL together with his two steals.
The Astros have relied on Altuve’s sturdiness for the previous decade. He has scored 137 or extra video games 9 occasions since his first full season in 2012. From 2013 to 2017 he performed in 5 consecutive seasons by which he appeared in 150 video games.
“Clearly nobody needs to start out the season at IL with an harm,” mentioned Altuve. “I wish to management what I can management, which is to get better shortly and get again to the crew.”
It is a huge blow.” Astros Normal Supervisor Dana Brown mentioned:
Altuve had a .300/.387/.533 slashline in 141 video games final season with 28 residence runs and 57 RBIs. He struggled in his 2022 postseason, one in all his worst outouts in seven playoff appearances, batting solely . His drastic decline in manufacturing got here as a shock, contemplating he has hit 5 residence runs in every of his final three postseasons.
Altuve might be out indefinitely whereas he recovers from surgical procedure. However even conservative estimates would put him out of motion for at the very least eight weeks as a consequence of a thumb harm.
Guess on the Houston Astros
The Astros wish to win back-to-back World Sequence titles, nevertheless it will not be straightforward. The New York Yankees have been on their final profitable streak. Achieved three consecutive victories from 1998 to 2000.
The Astros have +600 odds of profitable the 2023 World Sequence and are the consensus favorites regardless of Altuve’s harm. The Yankees and Atlanta Braves are the closest opponents at odds of +750, adopted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (+850), San Diego Padres (+950) and New York Mets (+950).
The Astros have a +310 probability of profitable their third consecutive American League pennant. They’re barely forward of the banging Yankees at odds of +360, who’ve gained his AL pennant 4 occasions within the final six seasons, together with back-to-back pennants in 2021 and 2022.
The Astros have a -175 probability of profitable the AL West for the third yr in a row. On his MLB futures board at DraftKings, the Seattle Mariners are at odds of +320 and he’s second, adopted by the Los Angeles Angels (+750), Texas Rangers (+850) and Oakland AS (+25000). The Astros have gained six of his AL West titles since 2017, however have didn’t win a division in the course of the 2020 pandemic-shortened season.
The Astros led the AL with 106 wins final season. They’ve gained a complete of 95.5 over/beneath this season. In line with DraftKings, the Astros are tied with the Dodgers for his highest profitable share in 2023.
Altuve has his AL MVP odds dropped to +5000 as a consequence of a thumb harm.
