Astros: Injury Bug Strikes Again Sunday

Injuries have not been kind to the Astros as of late.

Once a team that was looked upon with envy in terms of healthy players on the roster, the Astros have experienced their fair share of injuries to regular contributors.

Marwin Gonzalez once again was bitten by the injury bug during the team’s 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this afternoon.

That left knee contusion occurred early in the second inning as a Marcus Stroman offering got a piece of Gonzalez. This injury essentially forced Houston to play the remainder of the game with a short bench as Tyler White entered the game at first base with Jake Marisnick is nursing a groin injury. From that point on, Evan Gattis was the only position player on the bench for manager A.J. Hinch.

So how should the approach change in the upcoming slate of games in light of their recent injuries?

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The team caught a bit of a break as the team has an off day tomorrow before facing the St. Louis Cardinals at home then heading to Baltimore afterward for a week-long road trip that will also take the team through Pittsburgh. If Gonzalez is truly day-to-day, then it is possible that the veteran infielder will not miss any playing time. And with the team needing to make a roster move to activate Ken Giles from the paternity list tomorrow then it would be a relief not to have to worry about the bench’s depth this upcoming week. Retaining that bench flexibility will be key to the team’s success in this upcoming ten-game stretch.

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Regardless, the injury toll may make the team cautious in their roster moves as the team heads into the stretch run. Even though the season is far from over, the team has ground to make up in the wild card and division race. A healthy Gonzalez and Marisnick could go a long way in determining whether the outcome in 2016 is a success or failure.