Brendan

Rodgers

Anthony will get a few exhibition games under his belt with the Red Sox before joining Team USA for next month’s World Baseball Classic. The 21-year-old on-base machine’s perch atop Boston’s formidable lineup, which features offseason acquisition Willson Contreras in the heart of the order, makes it easy to project him as an impact fantasy contributor in the runs scored department. His ability to generate consistent hard contact, as evidenced by a 94.5 mph average exit velocity — the highest single-season mark by a hitter under the age of 22 in the Statcast era — portend immediate success at the highest level as a power-hitting table-setter. He’ll be an early-round pick in all fantasy drafts this spring. Here’s the full lineup: Anthony (RF), Ceddanne Rafaela (CF), Wilyer Abreu (DH), Contreras (1B), Masataka Yoshida (LF), Connor Wong (C), Andruw Monasterio (3B), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (SS) and Brendan Rodgers (2B).

Worth a flier. The Astros had Rodgers try swinging harder last year, and it did lead to improved exit velocity but also a lot more strikeouts in the 43 games in which he was healthy. Whether things might have gotten better is hard to say, since injuries wiped out the final 3 1/2 months of the season for him. He’s pretty obviously a weaker bet than Romy Gonzalez as a right-handed second base option at this point, but perhaps there’s still some potential to be tapped into after he spent his first nine years as a pro in baseball’s most backwards organization.

Just a disastrous few months for Rodgers, who went on the IL with an oblique strain in mid-June and then suffered a concussion and a broken nose in his first rehab game on July 18. He started another rehab assignment 10 days ago, but it didn’t take, and one imagines he’s likely out for the season at this point. He’ll probably have to settle for a minor league deal as a free agent this winter.

The procedural move frees up a spot on Houston’s 40-man roster. Rodgers suffered a concussion in additional to a nasal fracture earlier this weekend during a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Sugar Land. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

Rodgers is rehabbing from a left oblique strain, and this obviously counts as a setback. It occurred when ran headfirst into the knee of shortstop Edwin Diaz. The 28-year-old will assuredly be sitting until he passes the concussion protocol, and isn’t likely to be rejoining the Astros in the coming days.

Rodgers has been nearly invisible this season after cracking Houston’s season-opening roster, hitting .191/.266/.278 with two homers, 11 RBI and zero stolen bases through 43 games

Rodgers victimized Guardians’ left-hander Logan Allen for a 396-foot (104.4 mph EV) solo shot in the sixth inning that increased the Astros’ lead to 4-1. He also drew a walk in the contest. The 28-year-old infielder has really struggled in his limited action for the Astros this season, slashing .194/.270/.291 with two homers and 11 RBI in 115 plate appearances.

Astros manager Joe Espada expressed optimism that Altuve, who will undergo further evaluation and testing following an early exit from Saturday’s contest due to right hamstring tightness, could potentially return to the lineup in a day or two. It doesn’t sound like he’s headed to the injured list at the moment. It’ll be Brendan Rodgers at second base with rookie Zach Dezenzo in left field for Sunday’s game against the Reds.

Rodgers got the Astros on the board on Tuesday night as he smacked a 369-foot (101.9 mph EV) opposite-field three-run shot off of Chad Patrick in the seventh inning that pulled the Astros to within one run at 4-3. He also struck out twice in the ballgame, finishing the night 1-for-4. On the season, the 28-year-old infielder is hitting an underwhelming .235/.312/.324 with one home run and 10 RBI.

It’s a rare day off for Altuve, who has been in a little bit of a rut at the dish recently, hitting .143 (4-for-28) with zero homer and two RBI over his last seven games. It’ll be Zach Dezenzo in left field and Brendan Rodgers at second base on Sunday afternoon.