The Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays are set to go head-to-head on Thursday afternoon. The leaders of the American League West and American League East, Houston and Toronto are both in the conversation for the best record in the AL. The Detroit Tigers currently hold the best mark at 84-62, while the Blue Jays are 83-62 and the Astros are 79-67. Houston would certainly love to pick up a game on Thursday, but outfielder Jake Meyers is not in the starting lineup, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
“Jake Meyers is getting a scheduled off-day. He's also sore from fouling a pitch off his knee last night but is available off the bench, Joe Espada said,” Kawahara wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Astros have dealt with various injury concerns this season. The good news is that Meyers does not seem to be dealing with any kind of serious injury. Rather, he is sore after fouling a pitch off his knee. Additionally, as Kawahara mentioned, it was a scheduled day-off for Meyers.
There is a chance he could enter the game as a replacement. The Astros would likely prefer to give him the entire contest off if possible, though. Rest is of the utmost importance at this point in the season.
Meyers, a 29-year-old outfielder, has quietly enjoyed a strong season. He is hitting .301/.361/.392 across 93 games played. Meyers also has 15 doubles and 15 stolen bases.
The Astros are gearing up for a playoff run. Houston should be able to clinch an American League Wild Card spot at the very least. However, Houston would obviously love to take home another division title. The Astros currently hold a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and 2.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West.
There is still work to do, but the Astros are in a respectable position overall. Meanwhile, barring any setbacks, Jake Meyers should return to the lineup soon.
