Houston Astros veteran infielder Jose Altuve is scheduled for medical imaging Sunday morning following a left side injury that forced his early departure from Saturday’s 4-1 victory against the Texas Rangers.
The injury occurred during the eighth inning when Altuve was taking a swing at the plate. While he made contact and sent the ball toward third base, he was unable to run to first base, showing visible discomfort as he returned to the dugout area.
“It’s not good he couldn’t even get out of the box and run,” said Astros manager Joe Espada.
Following an assessment by Espada and a Houston athletic trainer near the dugout, Altuve headed straight to the clubhouse. The veteran player chose not to discuss the injury with reporters after the game, stating he would wait for his MRI results before making any comments about his condition.
The 36-year-old Altuve has appeared in 41 games this season for Houston, batting .245 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Throughout his 16-season career entirely with the Astros, he has maintained a .302 batting average while accumulating 258 home runs and 900 RBIs.
If Altuve requires placement on the injured list, it would compound Houston’s existing infield concerns. Third baseman Carlos Correa is sidelined following season-ending ankle surgery, while shortstop Jeremy Pena continues his recovery on the injured list due to a hamstring strain.
