Just as the Dominican Republic was getting set to take on Nicaragua in its opening game of the WBC 2026, the team was hit with an unfortunate development. Houston Astros All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña has apparently hurt his right ring finger during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game, the team announced on March 5.

“The Astros announced that Jeremy Peña has been diagnosed with a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger and will be reevaluated in two weeks. His status for the WBC remains unclear,” Fox Sports: MLB shared via X.

The injury happened on Wednesday when Jeremy Peña was playing for the Dominican Republic national baseball team. He initially stayed in the game to finish the inning but was later taken out as a precaution.

The 28-year-old suffered the injury during an exhibition game between the Dominican Republic and the Tigers on Wednesday. He took a sharply hit grounder from Wenceel Pérez behind second base and completed the throw to first for the out.

According to Astros manager Joe Espada, Peña injured the nail area of his finger when that sharply hit ground ball took an awkward hop and struck his fingertip. After the play, he was caught glancing down at his right hand a couple of times, clearly uncomfortable.

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“Just the fact that he finished the inning, finished the play, and felt good enough to take an at-bat shows how tough Jeremy is,” Espada said.

He added that the team would let the doctors evaluate him before deciding the next step.

For now, Peña is set to visit a hand specialist soon, as the Houston Astros await the results of his X-rays. The shortstop is expected to miss at least the start of the World Baseball Classic. Early reports from the Dominican Republic national baseball team suggest he may have suffered a small fracture, which could sideline him for the tournament’s opening round.

He is coming off an impressive 2025 season in which he earned his first All-Star nod, batting .304 with 17 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

So, for the Dominican Republic, it’s another tough setback before the tournament even begins. The team had already lost Francisco Lindor due to insurance complications, and now Peña’s injury adds to the challenge. And at this very last hour, the immediate task for the Dominican side is figuring out who will step in to replace Peña at shortstop.

The Dominican Republic is scrambling for alternatives

So now, it’s time for the Dominican Republic to act fast to replace Peña. And replacing a player who just came off a season like Peña’s isn’t easy.

According to the latest reports, Dominican manager Albert Pujols could move Geraldo Perdomo into the shortstop role for the WBC. Perdomo had an impressive season himself, finishing fourth in NL MVP voting and hitting 20 HRs with a .290 average. Still, as good as those numbers are, he’s not Peña.

The Astros, meanwhile, also have some decisions to make as they shape their Opening Day roster. If Peña misses extended time, one possible solution is Carlos Correa. They might shift him back to his natural position at shortstop.

So while Houston still has some flexibility to rearrange its infield, the situation is a bit trickier for the Dominican Republic. In the fast-paced format of the WBC, losing a key player like Peña right before the tournament begins can make things a lot more complicated.