Back-to-Back Blows: Astros Lose Meyers and Javier Within Minutes in Denver

The Houston Astros are getting hammered by injuries. On Wednesday in Denver against the Rockies, center fielder Jake Meyers and right-hander Cristian Javier both left the game with tightness issues, and they left within minutes of each other. This is getting brutal for a team already dealing with health problems.

Meyers Goes Down Mid-At-Bat

In the second inning, Meyers tweaked his back while facing Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen. The athletic trainers came out to check on him, and Meyers actually stepped back into the batter's box to keep going. But after another pitch, he was done. Brice Matthews came in as a pinch-hitter with a 2-2 count and delivered a single to left field. It was a rough exit for Meyers, and the Astros had to scramble in the outfield.

Javier Can't Even Get Started

Things got worse moments later. Javier took the mound but motioned toward the dugout after just a warmup pitch. Shoulder tightness ended his night before he really got going. Manager Joe Espada pulled him immediately and brought in AJ Blubaugh to replace him. That's a problem when your starter can't even finish warmups. Blubaugh gave up five runs in the second inning. Javier threw one inning total and allowed one run while striking out one.

A Week from Hell

This injury nightmare isn't new for Houston. On Sunday, the Astros placed righty Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list with a strained shoulder. Back-to-back days of losing key players to injury is the last thing you want in April, when you're trying to set a tone for the season. The Astros need to get healthy fast or this could spiral.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.