What happened to Michael Brantley? Injured Astros slugger faces major hurdle in recovery

The Houston Astros will continue to be without veteran outfielder Michael Brantley for the foreseeable future as the team announced that he has been shut down from all baseball activities. This is another blow in the recovery for the 36-year-old, who has yet to appear in a game for the Astros this season.

"Dusty Baker: 'They shut him down for a while to calm that shoulder down. They're going to give him three or four days where they don't want him to do anything other than maybe run or keep his legs sharp. We had to shut him down.'" - @Chandler_Rome

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Brantley will be completely shut down from any baseball activities to "calm" his shoulder down. The news is unwelcoming for both the team and Michael Brantley himself as he had made progress in recent weeks.

In early June, Brantley began hitting off a tee, which was a major step in his return to the lineup, however, it's clear that he has suffered yet another setback.

Brantley has not appeared in a game since June 26, 2022, after suffering a shoulder injury. The injury turned out to be more severe, resulting in Brantley undergoing surgery to repair a tear in his right labrum.

"Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley underwent an arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder, General Manager James Click announced today. As a result of the surgery, Brantley will miss the rest of the season." - @astros

While it was clear that the veteran outfielder would not be ready for the beginning of the 2023 regular season, the team was optimistic that he would have been able to return to the team by now. However, the outfielder suffered inflammation in his surgically repaired shoulder, forcing the team to shut him down indefinitely.

Dusty Baker said that Michael Brantley had "plateaued somewhat,” in response to word of his increased workload. The decision to shut him down for a few days could be precautionary given the approaching All-Star break, however, it is still likely that we are a long way from seeing him in the Houston lineup.

The Houston Astros are likely to trade for a Michael Brantley replacement prior to the MLB Trade Deadline

While the team will be happy to see their veteran outfielder's eventual return to the lineup, they cannot afford to sit around and wait. This has led many to believe that the Houston Astros will pursue a replacement on the trade market.

The name that has been the most heavily connected to the team is Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs. The former MVP could not only help the Astros in the outfield but can help take turns at first base if they required it.