February 24, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) is facing the New York Mets in the first inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Houston Astros All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña fractured the tip of his right ring finger during an exhibition game between his host Dominican Republic team and the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday.
Pena, 28, traveled from Santo Domingo on Thursday to see a hand specialist in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Astros announced the diagnosis and said he would be reevaluated in two weeks.
Peña suffered an injury while playing briefly. He was out in the first inning after giving up a ground ball to Detroit’s Wensel Perez after second base in the third inning. Despite a few glances at his throwing hand, Peña batted in the bottom of the inning. He struck out against the Tigers’ Scott Effross and left the game for Geraldo Perdomo.
“I know how difficult it is for Jeremy just to know that he finished the inning, completed the play, and felt good enough to go to the plate,” Houston manager Joe Espada said Thursday.
Former MLB great Dominican team official Albert Pujols said of the Espada that Pena wanted to stay in the game but blood was oozing from his fingernails.
The Dominican Republic’s national team opens World Baseball Classic play with a Pool D opener against Nicaragua in Miami on Friday, followed by a game against the Netherlands on Saturday, Israel on Monday and Venezuela on Wednesday.
Peña, who had a post-game
If 2022 Gold Glove shortstop Pena is unable to play when Houston hosts the Los Angeles Angels on March 26, the Astros could ask former shortstop Carlos Correa to replace him at third base. Correa, who won the 2021 Gold Glove, was substituted for Peña after missing time in the second half of last year. Then Isaac Paredes could play third base.
Peña was selected to his first All-Star game last season. He had a batting average of .304, 17 home runs, 62 RBI, a .363 on-base percentage, and a .477 slugging percentage. He missed the All-Star Game and the month of July with a fractured rib, and was sidelined for the final week of the regular season with an oblique strain.
During his four years in Houston, Peña had a batting average of .271, 64 home runs, 247 RBI, a .320 on-base percentage, and a .417 slugging percentage.
He was the 2022 World Series MVP when the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. He was also MVP of the American League Championship Series.
–Field level media
