Houston Astros fans devastated as team shuts down Michael Brantley just days after Dusty Baker confirmed no injury setback: "What a joke" "I'm sick"

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley was on his minor-league rehab assignment this week when he felt shoulder pain. The team sent him in for some tests on Tuesday to ensure it was nothing serious.

Manager Dusty Baker chalked it up to general soreness from Brantley and didn't consider the situation an injury setback. But the team stated on Friday that they would shut Brantley down indefinitely.

Brantley has been rehabbing from shoulder surgery he underwent in August. The setback should cause concern for fans as he only appeared in 64 games for the Astros last season.

This is the last thing fans want to hear. The team has already struggled out of the gate, missing star players. Jose Altuve has yet to debut as he's nursing a fractured thumb.

Houston Astros fans are devastated to hear Michael Brantley is being shut down indefinitely. The team was preparing for his return next week.

Hopefully, Brantley isn't dealing with any more complications than shoulder inflammation. When healthy, he's a great left fielder that poses big power at the plate.

The latest Michael Brantley news is not great for the Houston Astros

Michael Brantley hasn't been in the Houston Astros lineup since June 26 last year. He had season-ending labrum surgery, causing him to be a spectator in the Astros' recent World Series hunt last season.

After the season ended, Brantley became a free agent. The team decided to gamble and re-sign the injured outfielder on a one-year, $12 million deal. So far, that decision has not paid off.

Brantley's injury has put the team, and slugger Yordan Alvarez in a tough spot. The team was planning to split DH and left field between them, but that option is gone causing other players to step up.

Houston is also dealing with another injury in the outfield, and that is to Chas McCormick. He's been on the IL for the last month but has recently been activated. Since being activated, he's again experienced some back issues taking him out of the lineup.

Injuries have plagued this team to start the season. It's why they haven't looked like their typical dominant selves. Hopefully, Atluve's return can spark some life back into this lineup. The Astros have looked like they've been going through the motions lately.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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