Jeremy Peña made his first rehab appearance Tuesday with Double-A Corpus Christi, and while there were some positive moments, the night also included a collision and a hit-by-pitch that forced him to sit out Wednesday's scheduled rehab game. It is a disappointing update for an Astros team already dealing with a lengthy injury list.
So what happened on Tuesday? Peña started the game at shortstop and hit leadoff during his rehab assignment. After reaching base on an infield throwing error in his first at-bat, he later picked up a double, giving the Astros another encouraging sign as he works toward returning to Houston's lineup.
One of the biggest moments of the night came in the fifth inning when Peña collided with a baserunner near second base while trying to field an errant throw from the outfield. Not what you want to see from a player working his way back from a hamstring injury. Peña went hard to the ground and landed on his back, creating a scary moment, but he remained in the game afterward.
Later in the game, Peña was also hit on the forearm by a pitch. He was able to walk to first base under his own power and did not appear seriously injured, though he was eventually removed for a pinch-runner.
The most recent updates are that his neck is still sore, but the team is hopeful he will be able to return to rehab action on Thursday. With the Astros already without Carlos Correa, Peña's return is more crucial than ever. For a team sitting at 17-27 and desperately needing reinforcements every day matters.