The Houston Astros have only been able to get 15 games from Michael Brantley this year.
He underwent offseason surgery on his right shoulder and, after a few setbacks, he made it back in September.
Evidently, he is not 100 percent healthy: he has been in and out of the lineup intermitently in September, and while he will likely be included in the Division Series roster, he probably won’t be a starter.
At this point, his availability is a day-to-day thing and manager Dusty Baker knows it.
“Baker on Brantley: ‘I’m hoping to get whatever I can get out of him,’” Astros insider Brian McTaggart tweeted.
Baker on Brantley: “I’m hoping to get whatever I can get out of him.”
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 5, 2023
That seems to signal he will, at the very least, be on the roster.
Even if Brantley doesn’t start, having his left-handed bat from the bench is a huge plus for Baker.
You can make the case that only Jose Altuve has the kind of bat-to-ball skills Brantley boasts, and that gives the offense another look and a different dimension.
In 15 regular-season games, Brantley had a .724 OPS and two homers, with a .278 batting average.
If that’s his performance with a balky shoulder, we can’t imagine what he can do when fully healthy.
In 54 career postseason games, he is slashing a cool .296/.357/.380 with a .737 OPS.
Power has never been Brantley’s calling card, but he won’t be easily fooled in an at-bat, can take a walk, and is a strong bet to produce quality contact.
As a veteran leader in the dugout, his presence will also be very valuable for Houston.
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