With Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena fracturing the tip of his ring finger, his Opening Day status was drawn into question. However, he was never officially ruled out.
Pena has now progressed to throwing and is planning on swinging a bat again over the weekend, via Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Manager Joe Espada stated bluntly that Pena being ready for Opening Day is still on the table.
When Pena suffered his injury in early March, he was given a two-week timetable before getting re-evaluated. He was forced to pull out of the World Baseball Classic, however, it still gave him some wiggle room in terms of making it back for Opening Day.
Houston will remain cautious and consider the shortstop's long-term outlook. However, if Pena is able to throw and swing a bat without much issue, his Opening Day optimism may just come true. Even if the infielder is forced to miss sometime, it doesn't sound like the Astros will be without their shortstop for long.
Pena is coming off of a 2025 season that saw him earn the first All-Star nomination of his career. He hit .304 with 17 home runs, 62 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Over his four years total with the Astros, Pena has hit .271 with 64 home runs, 247 RBIs and 64 stolen bases.
While he has never technically had a 20/20 season, the shortstop has hit had either 20+ steals or 20+ home runs in all but one year of his career. With Pena hitting another gear in 2025, Houston knows how valuable he is to their lineup.
Espada and company will be keeping a close eye on him as he returns to full baseball activities. If all goes well, there's an increasing chance Pena will be on the diamond come Opening Day.
