Astros lose Javier and Matthews to injuries in win over Mariners
The short version
- Astros beat Mariners 7-0 Tuesday to take first place in the AL West
- Cristian Javier exited after two innings with a groin injury but plans to make his next start
- Brice Matthews left in the sixth after aggravating a season-long knee issue
- Jeremy Peña was hit by a pitch on the forearm; X-rays were negative
- Houston and Texas are both 78-79 with five games remaining; the Astros hold the tiebreaker
Houston moved into first place in the AL West with a 7-0 win over Seattle, but saw Cristian Javier, Brice Matthews and Jeremy Peña banged up in the process.
The Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners 7-0 on Tuesday to move into first place in the American League West, but the victory was costly. Starting pitcher Cristian Javier left after two innings because of a groin issue, and outfielder Brice Matthews was pulled in the sixth after aggravating a knee problem that has bothered him all season.
Javier told reporters the discomfort worsened with every pitch, though he still intends to make his next scheduled start. Matthews appeared to hurt the knee while making a sliding catch in the second inning.
Shortstop Jeremy Peña was struck on the forearm by a fastball late in the game. He remained in initially and scored on Yordan Alvarez's 41st home run of the season, but Nick Allen replaced him on defense the following half-inning. X-rays on Peña's forearm came back negative, according to the report. Outfielder Daulton Varsho also sat out Tuesday with a wrist issue.
Houston and the Texas Rangers are both 78-79 with five games left in the regular season, and the Astros hold the tiebreaker. Any player placed on the injured list at this point would also miss a potential wild-card series, per The Athletic, leaving the club to decide whether to play short-handed or risk losing key contributors for the postseason.
