Houston Astros star Michael Brantley enjoying Albuquerque on road back to Big Leagues

May 4—Michael Brantley flew into Albuquerque on Tuesday morning, dropped some things off at the team hotel and had a nice, comfortable afternoon at Isotopes Park, including a pretty nice pregame spread of food, preparing for that night's Triple-A baseball game between his Sugar Land Space Cowboys and hosting Albuquerque Isotopes.

And while none of it was probably quite as nice as he's grown accustomed to in recent years as the All-Star, World Series champion left fielder of the Houston Astros, it was all still light years ahead of what the 35-year-old who is making an injury rehab assignment this week in Albuquerque remembers from his minor league playing days.

"Yeah, it's way different. Way different," Brantley said with a smile when asked how this trip to the minors, where he is rehabilitating after surgery to repair his left labrum that has kept him away from the Big League club since last June, compared to when he was coming up the system after the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the seventh round out of Fort Pierce (Florida) High School in 2005.

"The food, to the clubhouse, to the travel — it's way different from what I experienced. I'm glad a lot of good things have happened (in the minor league levels) and grew from the time that I was in Triple-A."

So is Brantley, who is expected to remain with Sugar Land through the completion of this weekend's series at Isotopes Park, including playing in Friday night's special Cinco de Mayo game at Isotopes Park, saying the minor league players of 2023 have it easy now?

"I'm not going to say those exact words, but, yeah," Brantley said with a laugh, not-so fondly recalling 21-hour bus drives in his early minor league days. "It's a lot better now."

Houston @astros LF Michael Brantley, in Abq this week on a minor league rehab assignment playing against the @ABQTopes, says minor leaguers have it a little bit better today than he remembers when he was coming up... pic.twitter.com/EhOPe0sRD2

— Geoff Grammer (@GeoffGrammer) May 5, 2023

The bottom line, he added, is it's all still about baseball and about the work he needs to feel comfortable again to play at the highest level — where he's been a 14-year Major League, five-time All-Star and has hit .306 with the Astros since joining Houston in 2019.

He hasn't played since last June and said he's calling this short time with the Space Cowboys his version of Spring Training — a stint of games probably less about seeing if he's healthy at this point and more about him shaking off rust and getting his timing back to be sharp enough to play every day again in Houston.

"I'm doing well — building up (strength) and using this more as a spring training for me," Brantlay said.

In seven games played for Sugar Land, including two of the first three played this week in Albuquerque (he was held out of Thursday's school day matinee game that started at 11 a.m.), Brantley is hitting .316 with a pair of doubles and he's drawn seven walks in 27 plate appearances.

While Brantley said he's genuinely enjoying being around the minor league teammates, he's also leaning on one of his Astros teammates — Albuquerque native and fellow Astro Alex Bregman — to help him navigate the best restaurants and other stops this week.

Houston Astros All-Star left fielder Michael Brantley, seen rounding second base Tuesday at Isotopes Park, is in Albuquerque on an injury rehab assignment with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, who are playing a six-game series with the Isotopes.

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"He gave me a couple quick hitters, here and there," Brantley said. "He's been a great teammate, a great friend ever since I got (to Houston). I got to see his dad (Bernalillo Country District Attorney Sam Bregman on Tuesday). ...

"I'm just very appreciative of his family and you know them reaching out to me while I was here."

Asked if he expected to see a Bregman statue somewhere around town this week, the light-hearted Brantley answered quick.

"I'm sure they're somewhere," he joked. "... (Alex is) a remarkable player, has done a lot for this community."

Coming Friday

Friday's Cinco De Mayo/Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico game at Isotopes Park has a lot going on, including gates opening at 5:05 p.m. for a pregame Al Hurricane Jr. concert, a Mariachis adult jersey giveaway for the first 3,000 fans 21 and older and a postgame fireworks show, among other promotions, singing and dancing.

Outfield berm tickets are available for sale at the Isotopes Ticket office or at abqisotopes.com.

The game starts at 7:05 p.m. at Isotopes Park.

PROBABLES: Sugar Land RHP Forrest Whitley (1-2, 6.00) vs. Albuquerque RHP Jeff Criswell (1-3, 13.50)

WATCH/LISTEN: MiLB.tv or 610 AM/95.9 FM

THURSDAY'S GAME: The offensive onslaught continued at Isotopes Park in a 16-13 Sugar Land victory in front of an announced school day matinee crowd of 8,921.

Thursday's game featured 29 runs, 36 hits, 15 doubles, six home runs and 14 walks. In the first three games of the six-game series between the two teams this week there have been 72 combined runs scored (Albuquerque 38, Sugar Land 34), 83 hits and 42 walks.

BOX SCORE: Space Cowboys 16, Isotopes 13

STANDINGS: Pacific Coast League