Brantley day to day with right wrist injury

Michael Brantley was removed in the second inning of the Astros’ 9-1 win over the A's on Saturday, the result of being hit on the right wrist during his first and only plate appearance of the game. X-rays taken on the wrist came back negative, and Brantley’s status is day to day.

“That was a blessing,” manager Dusty Baker said. “The whole team was just holding its breath because whenever you get hit in the hand, there's a lot of small bones in there. So evidently Michael must've been drinking his milk.”

Brantley took a fastball off his right hand while facing left-hander Cole Irvin in the first inning, but after taking a few moments to regroup while being examined by a team trainer, he stayed in, and he played defense in the bottom of that inning. But Brantley didn’t take his second turn in the lineup in the second frame and was replaced by pinch-hitter Chas McCormick.

“It looked ugly,” Baker said. “When I went out to talk to Michael, he couldn’t feel his fingers. They took him for X-rays, and fortunately for us, nothing’s broken. He’ll probably be sore for a couple days. He couldn't turn the bat head over so he’s day to day until then.”

Brantley has been one of the Astros’ best hitters to start the season. He has six hits in nine at-bats with two RBIs. On Friday, he was 3-for-5 with three doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in the Astros’ 9-5 win over the A’s.

McCormick, who took over for Brantley in left, logged his first Major League hit with an RBI double in the ninth inning.