Dubon is one of the likely fill-in options at second base after manager Dusty Baker said Sunday that starter Jose Altuve (thumb) is likely out "a while," Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The Astros have yet to provide any specifics on the injury, but according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Altuve is dealing with a fractured thumb and is expected to miss 8-to-10 weeks. Dubon appeared in career-high 104 games last season between Houston and San Francisco and had a .214/.252/.313 slash line. He'd be the more defensive-oriented option at the keystone, with David Hensley offering more upside at the plate.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Avoids arbitration with Houston
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Dubon agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Astros on Friday to avoid arbitration, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Dubon made his big-league debut in 2019 and is now in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 28-year-old appeared in 83 games for the Astros last year and had a .208/.254/.294 slash line, and he should fill a utility role in 2023, assuming he makes the Opening Day roster.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Gets third start in four games
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Dubon will start in center field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Dubon will be making his third start in four games after going 1-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI over his previous two contests. He may be working his way into a timeshare with Trey Mancini and Aledmys Diaz for one spot in Houston's everyday lineup.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Scores twice, steals bag
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Dubon went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-4 win over Atlanta.
Dubon singled and scored on two occasions Sunday, including in the ninth inning when he also stole second base. He's now successfully stolen two bags in five attempts on the year. The 28-year-old utility man improved his slash line to .222/.265/.328 with 25 runs scored and 20 RBI through 198 plate appearances.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Starting, leading off Sunday
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Dubon (elbow) will start at second base and bat leadoff in Sunday's game in Atlanta.
Dubon was experiencing left elbow discomfort coming out of Friday's 6-2 loss after colliding with a chain-link fence, but a day out of the lineup Saturday was apparently all he needed to move past the issue. The Astros envision Dubon filling a utility role moving forward, but he'll get a turn at the keystone and in the leadoff spot Sunday while Jose Altuve (shoulder) is day-to-day.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Dealing with elbow discomfort
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Dubon was diagnosed with left elbow discomfort after leaving Friday's game against Atlanta, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Dubon sustained the injury while attempting to make a catch at the outfield wall. He didn't start Friday but replaced Yordan Alvarez (illness) during the fifth inning and lined out in his lone plate appearance. X-rays on Dubon's elbow came back negative, per Rome, and he should be considered day-to-day.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Leaves with injury
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Dubon was removed from Friday's game against Atlanta with an apparent left shoulder injury, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
The 28-year-old entered during the fifth inning and suffered the injury while attempting to make a catch at the outfield wall. Dubon initially remained in the contest but was lifted one batter later and was in visible pain. He should be considered day-to-day until his status is updated.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Produces three hits in loss
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Dubon went 3-for-4 with a double in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the White Sox.
Dubon had gone 3-for-24 with a double in his last 10 games since his previous multi-hit effort. The 28-year-old has slipped into a part-time role, though it's not strictly a platoon as the right-handed hitter continues to be included against same-handed pitchers. Through 191 plate appearances between the Astros and the Giants, he's slashing .220/.265/.329 with four home runs, 20 RBI, 23 runs scored and a stolen base this season. He'll likely continue to share center field with Jake Meyers and Chas McCormick.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Steps back into lineup
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Dubon went 1-for-5 with a run scored Monday against the White Sox.
Dubon got the start at second base and led off with both Jeremy Pena (neck) and Jose Altuve out of the lineup. He led off the game with a single before coming around to score on a Yordan Alvarez sacrifice fly. Including Monday, Dubon has started only six of Houston's 13 games in August, collecting two hits across 20 at-bats.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Sits after two straight starts
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Dubon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Dubon will take a seat after he started in both of the past two games while going 3-for-7 with a home run and two walks. Though he might have overtaken Jake Meyers as the Astros' preferred option in center field, expect Houston to at least explore the trade market for an upgrade at the position prior to Tuesday's deadline.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Back on bench Sunday
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Dubon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.
With Jeremy Pena (illness) checking back into the lineup for the series finale, Dubon's four-game run in the starting nine will come to an end. Houston moved designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) to the 10-day injured list Sunday, but Aledmys Diaz looks like the first man up to replace Alvarez in the everyday lineup.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Drives in pair
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Dubon went 1-for-4 with two RBI on Sunday against the Yankees.
Dubon got the start in left field with Yordan Alvarez out of the lineup Sunday. He delivered a two-RBI single in the fourth inning, and he now has at least one hit in four of his last five starts. Dubon maintained a roster spot over Chas McCormick and Jose Siri, and he should draw occasional starts in center field and at third base and shortstop. Across 105 plate appearances this season, Dubon has a .242/.279/.379 line.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Back in reserve role
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Dubon is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.
The 27-year-old is on the bench for the second straight day with Aledmys Diaz (shoulder) back from a four-game absence. Dubon appeared in nine games over the past couple weeks and went 7-for-21 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI and a stolen base during that stretch, so he should continue to see opportunities in a utility role.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Getting extra run
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Dubon went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and an RBI on Tuesday against the Mets.
Dubon has been in the lineup for consecutive games, benefitting from the absences of Jeremy Pena (thumb) and Aledmys Diaz (shoulder). Diaz remains day-to-day, so Dubon could see his playing time dry up quickly. However, Dubon has taken advantage of the extra run, collecting four hits with a home run, a double and three RBI in the two-game span.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Blasts two-run homer
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Dubon went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-3 win over the White Sox.
Dubon's fifth-inning blast ultimately gave the Astros just enough offense for the win. The utility man has gone 5-for-18 (.278) in June. He's in line for extra playing time as long as Jeremy Pena (thumb) and Aledmys Diaz (shoulder) are sidelined. Dubon is slashing .232/.258/.378 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored and a stolen base in 38 contests between the Astros and the Giants this season.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Earning chances against lefties
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Dubon went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base Monday against the Rangers.
Dubon drew a start in center field with lefty Taylor Hearn on the mound. He did all of his damage in the second inning, when he singled in a run, stole second base and then came around to score. Dubon hasn't earned consistent playing time since joining the Astros, though he has started five out of eight games against left-handers with his new club. He hasn't done much to make the case for a larger role, as he's maintained a 59 wRC+ and .246 wOBA across 85 plate appearances on the season.
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Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Traded to Houston
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Dubon was traded from the Giants to the Astros on Saturday in exchange for catcher Michael Papierski.
The 27-year-old made the Giants' Opening Day roster in 2022, but he saw sporadic playing time as a utility player. Now that Evan Longoria and Wilmer Flores have returned to action, Dubon will head to Houston, where he'll likely continue serving as a utility option. Dubon is hitting .239 with two homers, 10 runs and eight RBI in 2022.
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Giants' Mauricio Dubon: Homers, drives in three
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Dubon went 3-for-4 with a home run, two total runs and three total RBI in Monday's 8-5 win over the Marlins.
Dubon plated the first run for the Giants with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and he followed that with a two-run shot to center field in the third. The utility man collected two more hits along the way to finish with his first three-hit performance of the campaign. Dubon is batting just .244 on the season but has heated up of late, going 6-for-12 with a pair of homers and five RBI over his past three games.
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Giants' Mauricio Dubon: Homers, scores four runs Saturday
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Dubon went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a walk and four total runs in Saturday's 13-7 victory against St. Louis.
Dubon made an early impact with a second-inning two-run homer that gave San Francisco a three-run lead. He had already scored in the first frame after reaching base on an infield single. The long ball was the first of the campaign for Dubon, who has mostly struggled this season to the the tune of a .182/.200/.303 slash line across 35 plate appearances.
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Giants' Mauricio Dubon: Stuck in slump
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Dubon has gone 1-for-14 in his last nine games.
Dubon has already been contained to a part-time role even with injuries piling up in the Giants' outfield. With Mike Yastrzemski (illness) and Joc Pederson (groin) nearing returns, Dubon's path to playing time is likely to narrow even more. For the season, the utility man has a .143/.138/.179 slash line with three RBI, three runs scored and a double in 29 plate appearances.
