The Texans star defender has been injured since late October
Watt set to return from injured reserve
Dec 24, 2019, 10:36 am
Bobby Ellis/Getty Images
He's backkkkkkkkkkk!
Designated for return
The #Texans are officially designating star DE JJ Watt to return off Injured Reserve today, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. A big step toward Watt returning from a torn pec.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 24, 2019
This was the first step in J.J. Watt returning to the Texans. They activated his 21-day window where he can practice which allows him to work with the team but not take up a roster spot. They can move him to the active roster at anytime.
The injury's impact
Shoulda told my pec to look out lol https://t.co/LQDVoSheEr
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 28, 2019
Watt tore his pectoral on the above play. It was reportedly torn off the bone and the recovery time is set to be at least three months. He will be making his return to practice roughly eight weeks after his surgery. Which, to say, is crazy.
Whitney Mercilus had a similar injury a couple of seasons ago and if the Texans had been competitive at the end of 2017 he could have returned. Mercilus though injured his pectoral about a month before Watt, making the timeline for recovery more regular.
Watt could be as close to 80 percent according to ProFootballDoc on Twitter.
Time frame for on the field
At best, Watt is playing against the five seed when the Texans host a game for wild card weekend. That is my thought. If truly healthy, a few snaps against Tennessee wouldn't be terrible but I would guess with a chance of re-injury, Watt would save that risk and any performance he has for the playoff game.
Despite red flags, here's how Astros still control their own destiny
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Jordan Westburg hit a three-run homer among four hits with a career-best five RBIs and Dean Kremer pitched seven sharp innings to give the Baltimore Orioles a 12-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Kremer (9-9) allowed just three singles and struck out seven. Grant Wolfram and Corbin Martin finished the six-hitter.
The Astros were shut out for the second time this series after Brandon Young came within four outs of a perfect game in Baltimore’s 7-0 win Friday night.
Westburg hit an opposite-field shot to right-center off Shawn Dubin in the fifth to make it 5-0. He added RBI singles in the seventh and eighth. His four hits matched a career high.
Houston starter Cristian Javier (1-1) left with an illness after allowing one run in three innings. The Astros used five relievers before outfielder Chas McCormick threw a scoreless ninth in his second pitching appearance this week.
The bases were loaded in the third when Jesús Sánchez robbed Gunnar Henderson of a grand slam with a leaping catch into the seats in right field. Jeremiah Jackson scored on the sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
Sánchez robbed another homer in the seventh with two on when he reached into the seats to snag a fly ball hit by Samuel Basallo, who was making his major league debut. Basallo, the Orioles’ top prospect, drove in two runs with a single in Baltimore’s five-run eighth.
Key moment
There was a brief delay in the top of the eighth when a fan jumped onto the field and ran around before being tackled by security, handcuffed and escorted off the field.
Key stat
Dubin has allowed 11 hits and 11 runs over 2 2/3 innings in his last three appearances.
Up next
Orioles LHP Trevor Rogers (5-2, 1.43 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Dustin May (7-8, 4.67) Monday night in the opener of a two-game series at Boston.
Houston RHP Spencer Arrighetti (1-3, 6.38) faces Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (6-12, 4.76) as the Astros visit the Tigers Monday night.