Houston Astros utility man Aledmys Diaz is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks after suffering a fractured left hand when he was hit by a 92 mph pitch on Saturday.
Diaz departed Saturday's game in Buffalo against the Toronto Blue Jays after being hit on the back of his hand on a pitch thrown by Ross Stripling. He underwent X-rays, which revealed the fracture.
Diaz had played every position this season for the Astros except catcher, center field and pitcher. At the plate, he is hitting .278 with three home runs and 18 RBIs.
"All our prayers go out to him," manager Dusty Baker told reporters after announcing the timeline for Diaz's return, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I went down and prayed by the water, by Lake Erie there yesterday, that it wasn't too serious or take too long. It's kind of a downer because he's such a valuable part of this club and a valuable person on the club. So we got to find a way to push on."