Astros' Colby Rasmus 'taking a little breather'

OAKLAND, Calif. --- Despite the Astros' facing right-handed starters in two of their three games against the Athletics this week, Colby Rasmus did not take the field.

As it turned out, the veteran outfielder wasn't even available to play.

"(I) just haven't been feeling like myself out there on the field, so I just felt that it may be better for somebody else to get in there," Rasmus said before Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the A's. "(Tony Kemp) got in there and did something cool (on Tuesday night). Just taking a little breather."

Rasmus, nearing the end of the one-year, $15.8-million deal he's playing on after accepting the Astros' qualifying offer in November, is batting a woeful .206 with 15 home runs and a .641 on-base plus slugging percentage in 369 at-bats this season.

His post-April struggles have persisted even after his return from Aug. 10 surgery to remove a cyst from his right ear. He is just 7 for 42 since his activation from the disabled list.

Kemp started in left field in Rasmus' place Wednesday and tripled in the sixth inning a day after hitting two crucial doubles off the bench. Teoscar Hernandez, who replaced Kemp defensively in Wednesday's seventh inning, started in left field in the first two games of the series.

Among the 190 major leaguers who had 400 plate appearances coming into Wednesday, Rasmus ranked 188th in batting average and 181st in OPS. Last year, his first with the Astros, he batted .238 with 25 homers and a .789 OPS.

Colby Rasmus has been a spectator during the Astros' series at Oakland this week. Colby Rasmus has been a spectator during the Astros' series at Oakland this week. Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 77 Caption Close Astros' Colby Rasmus 'taking a little breather' 1 / 77 Back to Gallery

"(I) just don't feel that I can get out there and do as good a job as somebody else," Rasmus said. "So I don't think that it's fair for them or fair for the team for me to try to just get out there if I'm not feeling like I can get the job done."

It's unclear when Rasmus will next be available to play. Manager A.J. Hinch described the situation as "an evolving day-to-day thing." Even once Rasmus feels more equipped to contribute, it's conceivable Hernandez and, in particular, the left-handed-hitting Kemp could take more of his playing time.

"It's been a tough little go here coming back, battling through some at-bats, not quite having the luck that I was hoping to have," Rasmus said. "The game can beat you into submission at times. It's worked on me a little bit. So I'm just trying to get my mind right to try and finish strong."