Astros designate Braden Shewmake for assigment

Braden Shewmake takes over at the keystone with Turang taking a seat after fouling a ball off his right foot during Friday’s second-half opener. He’s delivered top-three fantasy value at second base this season, hitting .263/.359/.460 with 66 runs scored, 14 homers, 60 RBI and 15 steals in 421 plate appearances through 92 games. It’s unclear whether there are any plans for him to undergo imaging at this juncture. There should be a more definitive update on his status later this weekend. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

The 28-year-old infielder had been designated for assignment by the Astros on Friday. He’ll be active and in uniform for the Brewers for Sunday’s first-half finale against Paul Skenes and the Pirates.

Shewmake is at shortstop and hitting eighth on Monday night against the Nationals in his return from the injured list. The 28-year-old infielder wound up missing nearly five weeks with a right adductor strain. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats.

Shewmake was removed from Saturday’s game with groin tightness and will now find his way to the injured list. There is no timeline for his return, but it will give Brice Matthews a chance to take the starting second base job with Jose Altuve (oblique) also out. Matthews is starting at second base and batting eighth on Tuesday.

Shewmake was pulled from Saturday’s game due to right groin soreness. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to require a trip to the injured list, but it still may be another day or two before he’s ready to return to action. Nick Allen will start in his place at second base and will bat eighth for the Astros against Jacob Misiorowski and the Brewers on Sunday afternoon in Houston.

Nick Allen replaced him at second base against the Brewers. Shewmake was 0-for-2 with a strikeout before exiting.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine night off for the hot-hitting first baseman. Isaac Paredes will cover first base in his place while Braden Shewmake starts at the hot corner and will bat sixth for the Astros against Rangers’ right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.

The 24-year-old Matthews had spent a lot of time in centerfield for the Astros this season, but after Jose Altuve got hurt, he started at second base twice over the weekend. Then, Jeremy Pena was activated from the injured list on Monday, and Matthews started in center field. Yet, the Astros then activated Jake Meyers from the injured list on Tuesday, and Matthews headed to the bench. With Meyers, Cam Smith, Zach Cole, and Zach Dezenzo all in the outfield, it seems like Matthews has entered a timeshare at second base with Braden Shewmake. Matthews has plus raw tools, but he also has a .207 average and 31.5 percent strikeout rate in 127 plate appearances this season, so it’s hard to see him as a reliable fantasy contributor.

That figures to cost him at least a month. Brice Matthews started at second base today and could be the primary guy there while Altuve is out, though Braden Shewmake could also be in the mix once shortstop Jeremy Peña is activated.

Shewmake, starting at shortstop on Saturday with both Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña sidelined, put the Astros on the board for their only run with a solo homer off Chase Burns in the fifth inning. The 28-year-old infielder’s time with the team could be limited with Jeremy Peña (hamstring) nearing a rehab assignment.