SEATTLE — The Houston Astros put Brice Matthews on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation Wednesday, ending his regular season and thinning their outfield options in the final week.
Houston recalled Lucas Spence from Triple-A Sugar Land to replace Matthews on the roster. Spence was in the starting lineup in center field for Wednesday’s series finale against the Mariners.
Matthews aggravated his knee making a sliding catch Tuesday in the Astros’ 7-0 win over the Mariners. Matthews had missed two months due to a left knee sprain sustained in the final game before the All-Star break and was making his second start since being reinstated from the IL on Saturday.
Manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Matthews does not have structural damage in the knee but that “there’s some swelling in there” and soreness.
The 10-day minimum means Matthews would not be eligible for a possible wild-card round playoff series next week. The Astros entered Wednesday tied atop the American League West with Texas, and with the tiebreaker over Texas, with five games left in the season.
Matthews started in center field Tuesday night because Daulton Varsho, Houston’s lone trade deadline addition, is sidelined by a left wrist issue. Varsho was out of the lineup for a third consecutive game on Wednesday, one reason the Astros recalled a center-field option in Spence.
Spence, who debuted in July and hit .162 in his first 14 major-league games, and Matthews are among eight different players to start in center field for Houston this season. Matthews, the Astros’ first-round draft pick in 2023, posted a .201/.255/.332 slash line and a 66 OPS in 84 major-league games this year.