After getting a few guys back from the injured list at the end of August, the injury bug has reared its ugly head for the Houston Astros.
The Astros removed star infielder Jose Altuve in the third inning of Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves due to right foot discomfort. As you can imagine, that’s the last thing Astros fans want to hear in the thick of a playoff race.
Over the last two weeks, the Astros have had players go on the injured list, including starting pitcher Luis Garcia, who was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL with right elbow discomfort.
Luckily for Houston, there’s some good news to report on Altuve. According to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, Astros GM Dana Brown told the team’s pregame radio show on Sunday that he expects Altuve to miss “a day or two, two days tops” due to right foot soreness.
Astros Take Huge Sigh of Relief with Latest Jose Altuve Injury Update
The Astros general manager added that he believes the veteran infielder has encountered this type of injury before, and they are not concerned. Based on Brown's timeline, Altuve should be back for a pivotal three-game series against the Texas Rangers, which begins on Monday night.
If you’re an Astros fan, you have to take some solace that the organization isn’t worried about Altuve’s injury and expects him to be back in no time. For the Astros to win the AL West crown, they need a healthy Altuve and for him to play better at the plate.
This month, the 35-year-old Altuve is hitting a mediocre .163 with two home runs and five RBI in 12 games. The veteran infielder’s offensive production has shockingly been on the decline since July, when he hit .363 with five home runs and 21 RBI.
Last month, Altuve’s average sat at .231 with five home runs and eight RBI, including an OPS of .695.
Given how he’s been playing as of late, maybe this is a chance for the veteran infielder to take a step back and refocus for the stretch run. Even though Houston is happy that Altuve’s injury isn’t serious, they want to see him regain his September form before it's too late (.294 with an OPS of .821).