Geraldo Perdomo did not stay quiet about the Houston Astros’ report regarding what he believes is Jeremy Peña’s supposed finger injury. Without hesitation, he suggested the situation may be a team maneuver designed to keep Peña from playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“Where did all that come from? Houston’s wilding right now. In reality, he’s good! They [Astros] probably just don’t want him playing. But he’ll be back here soon, and when he returns, he’s going to make a real impact for the team,” Perdomo told Master Flip (@masterflip_) and other reporters.
It is worth noting that Peña and Perdomo were nearly set to play in what would have been the Dominican Republic’s first WBC game on March 6 in Pool D against Nicaragua, a matchup that on paper could be a relatively manageable one for them against the group’s underdog.
Perdomo says he’s ready to cover shortstop
Perdomo, who last season posted a .290 batting average with 173 hits, 20 home runs and 100 RBIs, said he is more than ready to fill the shortstop role Peña left open while his situation with the Astros is sorted out. Both players had strong MLB seasons in 2025.
“I feel great. I’m here to do my job, I’m having a blast doing it, and I’m not stressing about carrying the load at short. We had solid communication about who was going to play, him (Peña) or me, but the only goal was getting the job done, no matter who was out there,” Master Flip translated from Perdomo’s comments in Spanish.
see also
San Francisco Giants sending Harrison Bader and six teammates to the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Without Peña, the Dominican Republic would be losing a player who posted a .304 batting average with the Astros in 2025, along with 17 home runs, 150 hits and 62 RBIs during his fourth season with the team. He also received an MVP nomination.
