Astros' Jose Altuve: Goes yard in three-hit effort
Rotowire
Altuve went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 10-1 win over the Athletics.
Altuve has multiple hits in each of his last three games, and he's hit safely in six of seven contests this season. While all but one of his games have come against the A's, Altuve looks all the way back after missing time with a broken thumb to begin the campaign. The second baseman is hitting .370 with a homer, two RBI, six runs scored and four doubles through 31 plate appearances.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Back in lineup Friday
Rotowire
Altuve (illness) is back in the lineup Friday against the Athletics.
Altuve sat out of Wednesday's series finale in Milwaukee after making an early exit from Tuesday's game because of an illness, but he's ready to rock for Friday night's series opener in Oakland. He'll start at second base and bat leadoff versus the A's and right-hander James Kaprielian.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Out of lineup Wednesday
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Altuve (illness) is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Brewers.
After exiting Tuesday's 6-0 loss to the Brewers early due to an illness, Altuve will remain on the bench Wednesday in Milwaukee. The Astros have a day off Thursday, so Altuve will have an extra day to rest up ahead of Houston's three-game series with Oakland starting Friday. Mauricio Dubon will draw the start at second base and bat leadoff in the series finale with the Brewers.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Leaves due to illness
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Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Altuve left Tuesday's game against the Brewers due to an illness, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Altuve is still being evaluated, but his removal from the contest was deemed precautionary, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The second baseman went 1-for-3 before being replaced by Mauricio Dubon. Altuve should be considered day-to-day with a chance to return to the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Milwaukee.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Exits with apparent injury
Rotowire
Altuve left Tuesday's game against the Brewers with an apparent injury, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. He went 1-for-3 before his exit.
Altuve has been replaced by Mauricio Dubon at second base. The infielder should be considered day-to-day until there are further updates.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Tallies first hit
Rotowire
Altuve went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a walk Saturday against the Athletics.
Altuve started his second game since returning from a thumb injury and led off the contest with a double before coming around to score. He also worked a two-out walk in the seventh inning, and he has earned a free pass in each of his appearances this season. Altuve will be a fixture atop Houston's order moving forward.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Hitless in season debut
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Altuve went 0-for-4 with a walk Friday against the Athletics.
Altuve made his season debut after returning from a thumb injury and immediately occupied the leadoff spot in the order. He failed to reach base in each of his first four plate appearances but did manage to earn a walk in the bottom of the eighth inning. It may take a few games for Altuve to knock off the rust from his extended absence.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Batting leadoff in return
Rotowire
Altuve is starting at second base and batting leadoff for the Astros in his season debut Friday against the Athletics, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports.
We're exactly two months removed from Altuve suffering a fractured right thumb during World Baseball Classic play. He went just 2-for-22 during a rehab assignment and might be eased back into action with extra days off, but Altuve nonetheless should be re-inserted into fantasy lineups in most formats.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Making season debut Friday
Rotowire
Altuve was activated from the 10-day injured list by the Astros on Friday.
Altuve appeared to still be searching for his timing while on his rehab assignment, as he went just 2-for-22 (both singles) in five games with Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. However, the most important thing is his surgically repaired right thumb is a non-issue and he feels ready to rejoin his teammates. It's possible Altuve will receive some extra days off initially as he eases back into things, but fantasy managers certainly want to get him back into their lineups.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Could return Friday
Rotowire
Altuve (thumb) will appear in a rehab game Wednesday for Double-A Christi before potentially being reinstated from the 10-day injured list prior to Houston's game Friday versus Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Altuve has struggled thus far in his rehab stint with a .056 average over 18 at-bats, but the reps are far more important than the results at this stage. Even if the 33-year-old needs an extra couple of days, he looks like he's on pace to rejoin the Houston lineup for his season debut at some point over the weekend. Mauricio Dubon has been serving as the primary replacement at second base for Altuve this season and would presumably move into a utility role once Altuve is activated.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Rehab moving to Texas League
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Altuve (thumb) will move his rehab assignment to Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Michael Connor of SportsTalk 790 Houston reports.
Altuve has just two hits in his 13 at-bats in his rehab assignment thus far, but his movement to Double-A has everything to do with proximity and weather. The 33-year-old infielder will likely need a few more games before he's ready, and he could return from the 10-day injured list to make his season debut for the Astros as soon as this weekend's series with the Athletics.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Hitless in first rehab game
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Altuve (thumb) went 0-for-4 and played seven innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday.
Altuve said after the game that he plans to play Saturday, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, and that his timing is still off at the plate, which is to be expected. The second baseman was seeing his first action since breaking his thumb during the World Baseball Classic back in March, and the most important thing is that he's finally getting reps after missing two-plus months. Altuve will likely need a few more rehab games, but it appears as though he could be playing for the Astros and hitting at the top of the order at some point next week.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Starting rehab assignment
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Altuve (thumb) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Out all season following surgery to repair a fractured right thumb, Altuve resumed baseball activities last week and has progressed to the point of being game-ready. There's no word on how long his rehab assignment will last, but knowing Altuve he'll probably push to return as soon as possible.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Taking live BP in Triple-A
Rotowire
Altuve (thumb) is taking live batting practice with Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Altuve continues to get closer to returning to the field for the Astros and is not far away from starting a rehab stint. The infielder has missed the first month-plus of action with his broken right thumb, and it looks like he's going to make his return to the diamond more quickly than anticipated. There's a very good chance that Altuve is hitting at the top of the Houston lineup close to the middle of May.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: May be week away from minors games
Rotowire
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Altuve (thumb) could be ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment "within a week or so, maybe, as long as he continues to progress," Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Despite undergoing surgery to repair his fractured right thumb March 22, Altuve looks like he could be on pace for a return from the 10-day injured list in fewer than two months. He took batting practice for the second consecutive day Sunday and also took part in fielding work and baserunning drills. Mauricio Dubon has been holding down the fort at the keystone all season while Altuve has been on the shelf, but Dubon is expected to move into more of a utility role once the eight-time All-Star completes his rehab assignment and is deemed ready for his 2023 MLB debut.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Hits again, progressing rapidly
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Altuve (thumb) took batting practice, fielded grounders and did some running Sunday in Seattle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The Astros' decision not to place Altuve on the 60-day injured list to begin the season after he underwent surgery March 22 on his right thumb appears to be a wise one, as the 33-year-old looks like he'll have a chance at being ready to make his season debut well before late May. As Chandler Rome of The Athletic notes, Altuve slugged about six home runs in batting practice Sunday, which seemingly suggests that his power hasn't been compromised even though he had surgery on his dominant hand. The Astros haven't outlined when Altuve might be ready for a rehab assignment, but it could happen as soon as the upcoming week.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Takes first batting practice
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Altuve (thumb) took batting practice Saturday in Seattle, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Altuve has been sidelined since he broke his thumb while playing in the World Baseball Classic in late March, but Saturday's limited action is a big step in his rehab program. The second baseman is already eligible to return since he's just on the 10-day injured list, and he's set to undergo imaging on the injured finger soon. Barring any problematic test results, Altuve could begin a rehab assignment within the next couple weeks.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Cleared to field grounders
Rotowire
Altuve (thumb) said Wednesday that he's been cleared to field groundballs and test his grip on a bat, but he hasn't been cleared to swing as of yet, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Altuve said that the next two weeks of his rehab are "really important" with regard to shaping his timeline for a return from the 10-day injured list. The infielder has missed all of the 2023 season after breaking his right thumb during the World Baseball Classic. It's a positive sign that Altuve is able to start fielding grounders and potentially grip a bat, but he still has several checkpoints to hit in his recovery before he'll be able to contribute for Houston and fantasy teams.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Fields grounders
Rotowire
Altuve (thumb) fielded grounders pregame at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
It appears to be the first bit of baseball activity Altuve has performed since he had surgery in late March to repair a fractured right thumb. Altuve is also slated to be examined by the doctor Tuesday to gauge his progress. Based on how that visit goes, we might get a clearer picture on his timetable.
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Astros' Jose Altuve: Ahead of schedule
Rotowire
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Altuve (thumb) is ahead of schedule and will undergo X-rays in the next two weeks to gauge how he's healing, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports.
Brown noted that the second baseman has shown "great movement and flexibility in the thumb" during his rehab. Altuve broke his thumb after being hit by a pitch in the World Baseball Classic, and while Houston didn't place him on the 60-day injured list, he's not expected to return to the lineup until the latter part of May. A more specific timeline should be available after Altuve undergoes imaging on the thumb in around two weeks.
