The Houston Astros appear to be building another strong team when they take the field in the 2023 season, and they are close to bringing back Michael Brantley, per MLB insider Jon Heyman.
The outfielder played in just 64 games last season and had just 277 plate appearances due to a shoulder injury. He had season-ending surgery in August, and may be healthy by the start of next season. The surgical procedure on the shoulder requires a recovery period of 5-to-6 months.
The 35-year-old is an excellent offensive player when healthy. He has a career slash line of .298/.356/.439 with 127 home runs and 713 RBI. He was at his best in 2019, when he slashed .311/.372/.503 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI.
Prior to going on the injured list, Brantley was hitting .288/.370/.416 with 5 home runs. In addition to Brantley, the Astros have outfield depth with Jake Meyers and Mauricio Dubón. Slugger Yordan Alvarez can also play left field, but the Astros would prefer to use him as their designated hitter.
Brantley's deal with the Astros is for 1 year and $12 million, and it includes $4 million in incentives.
The Astros have won back-to-back American League championships, and they won the World Series in 6 games over the Philadelphia Phillies last season.
While Brantley was not able to participate in any of the Astros postseason games, he reported that his recovery was going well after his surgery. Michael Brantley has had multiple injuries throughout his 14-year career. He spent 10 years with the Cleveland Indians before moving on to the Astros prior to the 2019 season.
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