Houston Astros outfielder Joey Loperfido had arthroscopic surgery on his right hip that would delay his availability for the start of spring training next year, the team announced Monday.
Loperfido had a procedure "to address a labral injury and hip impingement that were identified shortly after the season ended," the Astros said. The team did not specify a timeline for his recovery.
Loperfido, re-acquired from Toronto in a trade last spring, was the Astros' opening day left fielder this season and played in 20 games before going on the injured list with a right quad strain. He missed roughly six weeks, returned in early June and batted .136 over his next 19 games before being sent to Triple-A.
The Astros recalled Loperfido for a brief stint in mid-September, during which he appeared in one game, and carried him on their roster for the wild-card round against the White Sox but did not use him in that series. Loperfido posted a .289/.381/.392 slash line in his 60 games at Triple-A Sugar Land this year.
Whether spring training will start on time next year is uncertain amid the likelihood of a lockout when baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. The Astros said Loperfido's "availability for spring training will be delayed" due to his surgery.
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