HOUSTON -- The Astros were dealt another injury setback Monday when starting catcher Yainer Diaz strained his oblique while swinging the bat during batting practice at Daikin Park. He will be placed on the injured list, manager Joe Espada said.
Diaz was originally in the Astros’ starting lineup for the series opener against the Dodgers before being scratched about an hour before first pitch of Houston’s 8-3 loss. César Salazar was brought up from Triple-A Sugar Land prior to Monday’s game, with infielder/outfielder Shay Whitcomb optioned to Triple-A. The Astros haven’t placed Diaz on the injured list yet, but that is imminent.
Diaz was off to a slow start at the plate this season (248/.264/.356) but was slashing .333/.326/.500 in his 11 games before being injured. Veteran Christian Vázquez, who has thrown out eight runners trying to steal and has an .862 OPS in 14 games, will be the starting catcher until Diaz returns. An oblique injury could put Diaz out for several weeks.
The injury means three members of the Astros’ Opening Day lineup -- Diaz, left fielder Joey Loperfido (right quad strain) and center fielder Jake Meyers (right oblique strain) -- are on the injured list, along with starting shortstop Jeremy Peña (hamstring strain), who didn’t start Opening Day while recovering from a fractured finger suffered in the spring. Peña is getting close to game action and could be sent on a Minor League rehab this weekend, Espada said.
The Astros also lost four starting pitchers to injury during the first road trip of the season, including ace Hunter Brown (shoulder sprain), veteran Cristian Javier (shoulder sprain) and Japanese star Tatsuya Imai, who reported arm fatigue after his April 10 start in Seattle. Imai will make his second rehab start Tuesday at Triple-A Sugar Land and could join Houston’s rotation soon after if he can throw strikes.
Also pitching in a Minor League rehab for Sugar Land on Tuesday are All-Star closer Josh Hader, who’s been out all season with left biceps tendinitis, and right-hander Nate Pearson, who was slowed in the spring in his recovery from right elbow surgery.
While the Astros appear to be close to getting some healthy players back, Diaz represents another difficult injury loss in a challenging start to the season.