During the previous game’s 9-2 loss, Bichette, a two-time All-Star and two-time AL hit leader, was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning while striking out. The pitch came from Astros right-hander Rafael Montero and struck Bichette on the inside of his right forearm.
Bichette has faced challenges this season, having returned from an injury on June 24 after missing nine games because of a sore right calf. In 73 games, he has a batting average of .229 with four home runs and 29 RBIs. Among qualified AL batters, his OPS of .613 is the second lowest.
In his major league debut, Leo Jimenez shifted from second base to shortstop to fill in for Bichette, while Spencer Horwitz took over at second base.