Astros place AL home run leader George Springer on IL with hamstring strain
The Houston Astros officially placed outfielder George Springer on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
The two-time All-Star suffered a left hamstring strain while trying to make a sliding catch in foul territory in Houston’s 4-3 victory against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Initial signs were ominous, as both Springer and Astros manager A.J. Hinch expressed concerns about a lengthy absence.
Springer: “I was going for the ball, giving it as much as I can and (my) hamstring locked up. … We’ll have to see what happens and hope for the best."
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) May 25, 2019
However, Saturday’s update was a lot less gloomy despite the IL designation.
Springer’s hamstring strain is of the Grade 2 severity, according to Luhnow. "It's not as dramatic as we had feared," Hinch said. "He's going to be out a little while and is going to exceed the 10 days. But (the doctors) were encouraged by their findings and their observation."
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) May 25, 2019
Springer had missed the previous four games with back tightness. Despite that absence, he entered Saturday leading the American League with 17 homers and 43 RBIs.
Outfielder Derek Fisher will take Springer’s spot on the Astros roster.
Springer joins an injured list that already includes 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve. The good news is Altuve is slated to begin a rehab assignment Sunday as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.
The other good news is that the Astros have enough breathing room to allow their superstars to rest and fully recover. Houston improved to 34-18 on Friday, tying them with the Minnesota Twins for the most wins in MLB. They currently own a seven-game lead in the AL West.
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