Luis Arraez will not play in Tuesday’s All-Star game in order to rest his injured left thumb.
“I need it,” he said Sunday. “I need it so bad. I need the rest.”
Arraez joined Jackson Merrill, Jurickson Profar and Robert Suarez on their chartered flight to Texas on Sunday evening to attend the next two days of activities.
Among the things Arraez packed were multiple devices to stimulate healing in his thumb, which he recently said hurts “a lot” when he swings and catches the ball.
Arraez sat out Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Braves, just the second time he has missed a game since jamming his thumb sliding into third base on June 25. He went 3-for-4 Saturday and is batting .309 in 13 games since the injury.
“I don’t feel 100 percent,” he said. “But every time I touch the line, I want to give 100 percent to the manager and to my teammates.”
Arraez is headed to his third straight All-Star game, but this will be the first one attended by his parents and sister, who recently acquired visas to travel from Venezuela.
“It will be special with my family,” he said. “They are everything to me. We are going to enjoy it and then fly back to (his offseason home) in Miami. I just want to rest a little bit.”
Tatis, Musgrove updates
Right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. will get an MRI during the All-Star break to assess the healing in his right leg and better determine when he might be able to resume working out. Tatis has not played since going on the injured list June 24 with a stress reaction in his femur. He recently said the pain has ceased.
Starting pitcher Joe Musgrove threw in the bullpen Sunday and will throw his first full-intensity bullpen session Wednesday. The plan is to throw just fastballs for at least a couple bullpen sessions and then progress to spin pitches. Musgrove, sidelined by elbow issues that include a bone spur, has not pitched since May 26.
Both players could return sometime next month.