Astros' Michael Brantley: Likely to miss Opening Day
Astros manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday that Brantley (shoulder) isn't expected to be ready in time for Opening Day, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Brantley has been brought along slowly this spring after undergoing right shoulder surgery last August, and he also was away from camp for a spell due to a personal matter. The 35-year-old has since rejoined the Astros, but because he didn't spend much time going through baseball activities while he was away from the team, he appears to have run out of time to get fully ramped up before the opener. It's unclear how much time he might miss, but fantasy managers should plan for a minimum of a couple weeks in the likely event that he's placed on the injured list. With Brantley and Jose Altuve (thumb) out, the top two spots in the Houston lineup have been opened up.
