Astros’ Brantley out after season-ending shoulder surgery

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing an arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder, the team announced Friday.

A five-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Brantley is in his 14th MLB season and in the final year of his contract. He hasn’t played a game since June 26. Before getting injured, he was hitting .288 with 14 doubles, five home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .785 OPS in 64 games.

Replacing Brantley, Chas McCormick, and Aledmys Díaz have been splitting most of the time, with star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez also receiving some starts in the outfield. To help solidify a primary substitute for Brantley’s position, Houston acquired Trey Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles before the trade deadline.

Before the 2019 season, Brantley signed a two-year, $32 million contract with the Astros and was an All-Star, hitting .311/.372/.503 with 22 homers and 90 RBIs, playing a vital role in Houston winning the World Series. In 2020, he slashed .300/.364/.476.

Brantley signed the same deal with the Astros after the 2020 season after almost signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. In the first year of his contract in 2021, Brantley finished second in the AL batting race, hitting .311.

Despite being thin at left field, the Astros are still in command of the AL West with a 72-41 record, 11.0 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners. Houston also boasts the best overall record in the AL, just ahead of the 71-41 New York Yankees.