Marisnick out 6-8 weeks with fractured thumb

September 14th, 2017

ANAHEIM -- Astros center fielder will likely miss the rest of the season, including the postseason, after suffering a fractured right thumb sliding into second base in the third inning of Wednesday's 9-1 loss to the Angels.
The team announced Thursday that Marisnick was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday and would be out approximately six to eight weeks. That means he wouldn't return until the end of October at the earliest and the World Series, if the Astros advance that far.
"Guys heal at different rates," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "The timeline they gave us was six to eight weeks. They'll know more after the surgery, and there's a lot of steps along the way he has to deal with. It's unfortunate. It sounds like a significant issue for him to have surgery and the things that come with that."
Marisnick, 26, was in the midst of the best season of his career, hitting .243 with career highs in home runs (16) and RBIs (35) with an on-base percentage of .319 and a .496 slugging percentage. With Marisnick out, Hinch said will play a little more outfield than before. , and will get longer looks and more at-bats as well.

"Losing Jake, his speed, his enthusiasm, his power he developed this year, his defensive abilities, it's definitely a blow for us," Hinch said.
Marisnick blooped a single to right field in the top of the third -- snapping an 0-for-16 slump -- on Wednesday, but he was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a double on a headfirst slide in which he grabbed the base with his right hand and broke the thumb. The surgery will be performed in Houston by team physician Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff.
"There's a slight possibility he would be available if it were late October and we were still playing, but I think that's a long shot," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said.
It's the second major thumb injury the Astros have suffered this season.
All-Star shortstop tore a ligament in his left thumb in early July and missed eight weeks after undergoing surgery, returning to action on Sept. 3. Correa initially injured his thumb sliding into home on July 4 in Atlanta and played through some pain before tearing a ligament swinging the bat on July 17.