The Houston Astros received concerning news on Wednesday after one of their most important players exited a World Baseball Classic exhibition early. The situation now creates uncertainty surrounding Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena following a finger injury during the Dominican Republic’s tournament preparation.
Pena, the starting shortstop for Houston, left the exhibition after a ground ball struck his hand. The injury occurred during the Dominican Republic’s tune-up game vs. the Detroit Tigers in Santo Domingo as the team prepares for the 2026 World Baseball Classic competition.
The play happened in the third inning when he moved behind second base to field a sharply hit grounder. He successfully completed the throw to first base, but the ball struck one of his fingers during the sequence. Despite the impact, Pena briefly remained in the game and even returned to the plate for another at-bat later in the inning.
Soon afterward, however, the Dominican Republic coaching staff removed him from the game as a precaution. The Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara shared an update on X, formerly Twitter, relaying comments from Astros general manager Dana Brown regarding the injury.
“Astros GM Dana Brown said shortstop Jeremy Peña was removed from Team Dominican Republic’s exhibition game today after he was hit on the finger by a ground ball and the Astros hope to know more tomorrow,” Kawahara wrote.
Reports emerging from the Dominican Republic later confirmed a small fracture in one of the right-handed slugger’s fingers. The injury is expected to sideline the Astros shortstop for at least the opening round of the World Baseball Classic.
The development immediately affects the Dominican Republic roster. Pena had been projected as the team’s starting shortstop and a key defensive presence entering the international tournament.
For Houston, the situation creates another storyline to monitor as the MLB season approaches. The Astros rely heavily on the former 2018 third-round pick as their everyday shortstop and a key contributor in the lineup.
Because the injury occurred during international play, the Astros must now await further medical evaluation before determining the timeline for his return and availability moving forward.
