Houston Astros Place Slugger on Injured List

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu will be on the injured list for at least the next week with lower back discomfort.

The Houston Astros have placed first baseman Jose Abreu on the 10-day injured list, per MLB.com.

Abreu missed the last game of the Astros’ road trip in Baltimore with lower back discomfort. The Astros re-evaluated him when they returned to Houston and they sat him for Friday’s 11-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Jon Singleton started in his place and hit two home runs.

He has been diagnosed with lumbar spine inflammation.

Abreu has struggled at the plate this season, with a .234 batting average, 10 home runs and 56 RBI. He surged in June, but in his last 30 games he’s batted .217 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

"I felt it at the beginning of the season, but it was something I just thought was normal," Abreu told reporters in Houston. "It went away. Right before the All-Star break, felt it again, but the same thing — it went away. But the last time I felt it, it just kept getting worse and worse."

The Astros signed Abreu to a three-year, $58.5 million deal in the offseason. His production hasn’t matched the deal, at least not yet.

With the Chicago White Sox from 2014-22 he was the 2014 American League Rookie of the Year, the 2020 AL MVP, a three-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger. With the White Sox he batted .292 with 243 home runs and 863 RBI.

David Hensley will take Abreu’s place on the 26-man roster. He’s been up with the Astros a couple of times this season. In 29 games he’s batted .120 with a home run and three RBI.

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