Jeremy Peña suffered a finger injury while representing the Dominican Republic earlier this week in preparation for the World Baseball Classic. Here’s a look at how the injury occurred and the latest update on his status.
The game was between the Dominican Republic and the Detroit Tigers in Santo Domingo. He had to exit the game after three innings. He was set to be re-evaluated to confirm the severity of the injury.
What happened and how did the injury occur?
He fielded a ground ball by Wenceel Pérez behind second base. He was able to make the throw to first for the out, but after the play he was looking down at his hand. The ball reportedly hit his fingernail, causing it to bleed.
He was able to stay in the game for a little bit and went up to bat, striking out in the bottom of the third. However, after that he was removed from the game and had an X-ray.
After further evaluation, Peña’s injury has been confirmed as a fracture to the tip of his right ring finger. The healing timeline remains uncertain, but Peña and the Astros are aiming for him to be ready for Opening Day. There is, however, no guarantee he will be fully healed in time.
Peña will miss Team Dominican Republic’s upcoming World Baseball Classic games, including group play starting Friday in Miami, making his recovery a top priority for both his country and Houston as the season approaches.