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Houston Astros Star Set to Make Minor League Rehab Appearance on Tuesday
Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on June 22. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Houston Astros star Jeremy Pena is closing in on a return to the major league roster, as he'll begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Sugar Land. He's been out with a fracture in his ribs.

The 27-year-old star is a major reason why the Astros are in first place in the American League West, as he's hitting .322 with 11 homers, 40 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He's carrying a .378 on-base percentage and also has 18 doubles.

He's just one of several injuries for the Astros, who are playing without Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Yordan Alvarez, Brandon Walter and Issac Paredes.

If the Astros are able to get Pena and Alvarez back in short order, they could very well be the favorites in the American League, which appears to be wide open this year. Houston advanced to the American League Championship Series in 2023 and the wild card round round in 2024. They last won the World Series in 2022 when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies.

They've won both the 2017 and 2022 Fall Classics.

They'll be back in action on Monday night when they take on the Washington Nationals at Daikin Park. Houston has lost four straight games, getting swept by the Athletics over the weekend. Left-hander Framber Valdez will take the ball, as he's gone 11-4 with a stellar 2.67 ERA. Brad Lord, 25, will pitch for Washington. He's gone 2-5 with a 3.39 ERA thus far.

Valdez will be a free agent at the end of the season.

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This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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