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A win Wednesday night would move the Houston Astros into first place in the AL West and they'll welcome two of their best players back for the series finale with the Texas Rangers. The Astros activated Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez off the injured list Wednesday afternoon, the team announced. Bligh Madris and David Hensley were sent down in corresponding moves.

Altuve and Alvarez are in Houston's starting lineup Wednesday:

Altuve and Alvarez were both sidelined with oblique injuries. Altuve had been out since July 6 and Alvarez since June 9. The Astros managed to go 9-5 while both were out of the lineup and they even gained a game in the AL West. Houston has won the first two games of their three-game home series with the Rangers. Here are the current division standings:

  1. Texas Rangers: 59-43
  2. Houston Astros: 58-44 (1 GB)
  3. Los Angeles Angels: 52-49 (6.5 GB)
  4. Seattle Mariners: 52-50 (7 GB)
  5. Oakland Athletics: 28-75 (31.5 GB)

A win Wednesday night would give the Astros and Rangers identical 59-44 records, though Houston would lead the season series 7-3 and hold the tiebreaker, and technically sit in the first place. The Astros have not been in first place at any point this year. Of course, there are still two months to play, and plenty of time for the standings to change.

Altuve, 33, missed the start of the season with a broken thumb after being hit by a pitch in the World Baseball Classic. He owns a .264/.371/.479 batting line and six home runs in 32 games. The 26-year-old Alvarez hit .277/.388/.589 with 17 home runs in 57 games prior getting hurt. He was voted in as an All-Star Game starter but could not play due to the injury.

After Wednesday, the Astros and Rangers have one series remaining this season: Sept. 4-6 at Globe Life Field.