Jeremy Pena

Peña was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to June 30 with a left calf strain he had been playing through for more than a week. Manager Joe Espada was optimistic about a minimum-stint return, targeting July 10 when Houston opens a home series against the Rangers. This is Peña's second IL trip of 2026 after a right hamstring strain earlier in the season. Nick Allen and Brice Matthews will share shortstop duties — neither provides meaningful fantasy offense.

Pena has been sitting in free-agent pools for much of 2026 after a slow first half, but this five-game stretch is real. Three home runs in five games is a power output you ride. The Astros are a playoff team with a second-half schedule that works, and Pena's hit tool tends to click in sustained stretches when he gets going. At 22% owned, he's the most actionable add on the board this weekend in 14-team-plus leagues.

Peña begins a rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Corpus Christi and could be back with the Astros within 7-10 days. He's been out since spring with a thumb issue but is the locked Astros SS once he's cleared. The 65% rostered number is misleading — for 35% of leagues he's a free claim to a starting SS in a championship-contending offense. Top-15 SS rest of season at full health. Stash now; don't wait until he's back.