Ailing Astros shut down Jose Altuve for now
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve dives back to first in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, July 2, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Gareth Patterson/Associated Press
A Houston Astros lineup currently without its anchor in Yordan Alvarez suffered another blow early Tuesday afternoon.
Second baseman and 2017 MVP Jose Altuve held his rib-cage area as he entered the dugout after pregame batting practice, and he gingerly walked into the clubhouse alongside bench coach Joe Espada. Hours later, fears regarding Altuve's presumed injury were confirmed. He was diagnosed with an oblique injury, and he has not played in either of the Astros' last two games.
Altuve is slated to undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury. In the interim, don't expect him to see him back on the field before the start of the season's second half on July 14. Houston general manager Dana Brown said Wednesday there isn't "any rush to bring [Altuve] back", noting the Astros will exercise caution with just four games before the All-Star break.
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"I've talked about this before with the obliques of some of the other players. These injuries are really complicated, and so sometimes the best thing is rest," Brown told the media at Minute Maid Park. "And so I think right now it would be my opinion, strong opinion, as to just giving him some rest and let it play out."
It's been an injury-riddled year for the usual table-setter of Houston's lineup. Altuve's season debut didn't come until May 19 after fracturing his thumb in the World Baseball Classic, and he also missed a pair of contests in late June due to a different oblique issue. He is now slated to miss at least 20 games for the fourth time in the last six seasons. His previous career-low for games played, not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season, came in 2019 when he made just 124 appearances.
Houston continues to cruise of late despite a host of injuries. The Astros enter Thursday's home contest against Seattle with eight wins in their last 10 games, sitting just two games back of the Rangers for the American League West lead.
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Source: Chron
