Astros catcher Yainer Diaz sidelined by oblique injury, headed to the IL
Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz hits an RBI single during the eighth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Baltimore. Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough
HOUSTON — Houston catcher Yainer Diaz will be heading to the injured list with an oblique injury after hurting his left oblique during batting practice ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Manager Joe Espada didn't provide many details about the injury after Houston's 8-3 loss, but did say that “he's going to require some IL time.”
Diaz said he was injured during batting practice and went straight to the trainer's room.
“I made a swing and it bothered me.,” he said in Spanish through a translator.
Diaz said that he hasn't had any imaging done nor has he been given a prognosis for the injury. But, he added that it was “disappointing” that he'll have to miss some time.
Christian Vázquez took Diaz's place in the lineup after he was scratched about an hour before the game and went 0 for 3.
With Diaz injured, the Astros selected the contract of catcher César Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land and optioned infielder Shay Whitcomb to Triple-A to make room for him on the roster.
The 27-year-old Diaz is hitting .248 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 26 games this season for the Astros.
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