Houston Astros star Jeremy Pena is battling back from a finger injury. Pena returned to the lineup for an exhibition game on Tuesday. After the contest, Pena revealed there is still one obstacle that could stand in his way ahead of Opening Day. However, it is not his specific injury.
"I feel like right now the concern is not the finger," Pena said, via Matt Kawahara. "The finger feels good to go. It’s a matter of getting at-bats and feeling game-ready."
Pena certainly seems ready to return. The star shortstop hit a home run in Tuesday's game. It was his only hit across four at-bats, but a homer in your first return from injury is encouraging to say the least.
Houston will continue to closely monitor his status. Even if he is not ready for the Astros' first game of the regular season Thursday, it does seem as if he will be ready to play sooner rather than later. The Astros are set to begin their 2026 season on Thursday at 4:10 PM EST against the Los Angeles Angels.
Jeremy Pena Trending in Right Direction
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The 28-year-old is coming off a tremendous season. He hit .304/.363/.477 across 125 games played a season ago. The infielder hit 17 home runs and 30 doubles while also stealing 20 bases. Pena ended up earning his first All-Star selection.
The Astros, however, failed to reach the postseason despite winning 87 games last year. While many assume they simply underperformed -- which is probably true -- Houston still played fairly well. The Astros are more than capable of bouncing back, but they will need another big season from Pena.
Pena's 125 games played last year was a career-low mark. Yet, he still played his best baseball while on the field. If Pena can find a way to stay on the field on a more consistent basis in 2026, this could be a huge all-around campaign for him.
At the moment, Pena and the Astros are preparing for the new season. Assuming no setbacks occur, a return for Opening Day remains realistic. His official status for the game has yet to be announced, however. If Tuesday's contest told us anything, it's that Pena is at least a strong candidate to play on Opening Day.
The Astros will continue to monitor and provide updates on Jeremy Pena's injury status as they are made available ahead of Thursday's game.
