Astros lose Jeremy Peña to oblique injury during Wild Card race

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña is sidelined with a left oblique injury, missing at least two games as the team battles for a playoff spot. Peña, who leads qualified Astros hitters with a .304 average and .840 OPS, was scratched from the lineup Sunday and remained out Tuesday, with manager Joe Espada hopeful he will recover soon. Peña sustained the injury while avoiding a tag during a game against the Seattle Mariners but hit a grand slam despite the soreness. Astros GM Dana Brown described the injury as minor and expected Peña to miss only a short time, pending imaging results. Peña’s absence compounds Houston’s injury woes, as star slugger Yordan Alvarez is also out with an ankle sprain. The Astros are currently three games behind in the AL West and tied for the final AL Wild Card spot, intensifying the need for Peña's return to bolster their lineup.