Astros, Dominican WBC squad lose star shortstop Jeremy Peña to finger fracture

The 27-year-old All-Star will miss the start of the season after suffering the injury.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Both the Houston Astros and the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic squad were dealt a significant blow when imaging revealed shortstop Jeremy Peña suffered a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger. The injury will knock Peña out of the WBC and land him on the 10-day injured list to begin the regular season.

Why it matters

Peña is coming off a career season in which he produced 5.6 WAR and career highs in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging. He was already an elite defender who deftly replaced Carlos Correa and clutched up in the 2022 postseason as the Astros won the World Series championship. His absence is a major setback for both the Astros and the Dominican Republic's WBC squad.

The details

The Astros announced Peña will be reevaluated in two weeks; they open the season March 26 at home against the Los Angeles Angels. While Peña's finger should heal in time for the vast majority of the regular season, it's a tough break for the 27-year-old shortstop.

  • Peña suffered the finger fracture on March 5, 2026.
  • The Astros open the 2026 regular season on March 26.

The players

Jeremy Peña

A 27-year-old shortstop for the Houston Astros who is coming off a career season in which he produced 5.6 WAR and career highs in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging.

Carlos Correa

The former Astros shortstop who Peña replaced and will now slide back to his old position while Peña is injured.

Albert Pujols

The manager of the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic squad.

Geraldo Perdomo

A 7-win player who finished fourth in NL MVP voting last season and will slide into the shortstop spot for the Dominican Republic's WBC squad.

Isaac Paredes

An Astros infielder who will now man third base in Correa's stead while Peña is out.

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What’s next

The Astros announced Peña will be reevaluated in two weeks; they open the season March 26 at home against the Los Angeles Angels.

The takeaway

Peña's injury is a major setback for both the Astros and the Dominican Republic's WBC squad, as he is coming off a career season and is a key player for both teams. His absence will force the Astros to shuffle their infield and leave a hole in the Dominican Republic's lineup, but both teams have depth to try to weather the loss until Peña can return.