Things were looking good for the Houston Astros. June was actually picture-perfect for them—no series losses, the best record in baseball, and Jeremy Peña playing like an All-Star. But then Sunday happened, and everything looks like a mess now.

Just after manager Joe Espada downplayed Peña’s situation as being “just still a little sore” and said there was “no need to rush,” following Peña missed a second straight game, the Astros dropped a truth bomb on X. Peña has a small rib fracture and is heading to the injured list. That was enough to make Astros fans anxious and in a rush.

Honestly, can you blame the fans? Peña was having such a stellar season. Actually, he was having The Season! Through 82 games, he was hitting. 322 with an .867 OPS, 11 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and undoubtedly the slickest defense in the league. Now he is hurt—and hurt bad.

This is bad news, because Peña fans remembered his 2022 World Series MVP run with the games. After all, that’s the level he has been playing at. In fact, this version seems more refined at the plate, too. To make matters worse, the Astros haven’t gotten better anywhere else either. Jose Altuve has been off his game and out of his position. Christian Walker’s huge contract is starting to look like a mistake, and Yordan Alvarez simply can’t seem to stay healthy. He has played just 29 games, and so ultimately, Peña was their rock.

Now he is out, and it stings even more because Espada made it seem like everything was in control. Just soreness, nothing to worry about, and then boom—a broken rib. Classic, right? Now Mauricio Dubon filled in for Peña during the weekend series against the Chicago Cubs, but went hitless for eight innings in Saturday’s 12-3 loss.

This kind of production simply will not cut it, especially with the second half of the season looming and the Astros needing to keep pace in the AL. Astros fans can just hope that their best all-around player doesn’t derail what was starting to look like a serious turnaround. For now, though, the fans are anxious.

Houston Astros fans fume over Jeremy Peña’s injury

One fan summed up what a lot of Astros supporters are thinking—why lie when you have to reveal the truth? Because the team earlier mentioned that no fracture seemed to be in the picture, and then Joe Espada also downplayed it, and finally, the bombshell dropped. It’s what the user calls “comical,” and it’s not a hard disagreement, is it? Because fans are banking on Peña to handle the offense. Sure, the Mariners’ slump has given the Astros a cushion, but they know from last season that no lead is safe. Getting Peña healthy again isn’t just important; it could define their playoff hopes.

A fan didn’t hold back, simply saying that these injuries are too many for any team to overcome. Honestly, the assessment is not wrong. The Astros are somehow staying afloat, but the injury list has been brutal. Thirteen players are on the injured list now. And it’s not like day-to-day soreness; Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco are both done for the year because of Tommy John surgery.

One user called it the worst medical team of all time. It’s hard to argue. Kyle Tucker’s bone bruise was actually a fracture. Yordan Alvarez also played through three weeks of inflammation with no imaging. The same medical staff even ended up throwing the ceremonial first pitch recently. Awkward timing, right? These are not flukes, and star players being misdiagnosed or delayed in treatment is a huge problem.

One X user mentioned that Peña is out for the season. And yes, it’s a grim fact, but actually, the situation is worse than the team let on. Further imaging has revealed that there are multiple broken ribs. He was hit by a pitch on June 27 against the Cubs, stayed in for one more at-bat, then exited the game. He might be out for more than just a few weeks, which is brutal for the team.

In a sarcastic tone, one user said that the fact that some are saying 10 days on the injured list is funny. That Peña is not coming back until 2027. It’s looking tough because Peña just said “no thanks” to the deal the Astros offered and hired Scott Boras—the super agent—for him. This means he is going to the highest bidder. So things are not looking great for Houston now.

What do you think of the medical errors that have been taking place? Let us know.