The Houston Astros have had a rash of injury issues to deal with this season and now have to deal with a scare with one of their outfielders after Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Breakout star outfielder Jake Meyers left the game early and was replaced by Taylor Trammell after taking just two at-bats. Astros manager Joe Espada described his issue as "right calf soreness" after the game per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
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If this were to turn into a long-term issue for the Astros, it would end up as a brutal loss to their already pieced together lineup.
Houston already has a whopping eight position players on the injured list, with seven pitchers joining them. They've done a good job weathering those losses, but Meyers has been a huge part of that. It's unclear who they could call on to step up with him out.
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The 29-year-old plays Gold Glove level defense in the field and has broke out into one of their more reliable players at the plate.
Through 53 games, Meyers has slashed .308/.369/.405 with three home runs and 14 stolen bases. He is the only qualified Astros hitter not on the injured list hitting above .300.
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Trammell replaced him today, but doesn't feel like a permanent answer. Shay Whitcomb and Zack Short could maybe step into center. Houston may need to keep their options open.
Top prospect Brice Matthews stands out as a more exciting option, given that they have had him play some center field this year. Matthews is slashing .280/.401/.479 this season.
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