The Houston Astros are taking a cautious approach in managing star Jose Altuve’s oblique injury. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Houston’s general manager Dana Brown said that the team wouldn’t rush Altuve’s return to action.
Altuve experienced issues with his oblique during Tuesday’s batting practice. The team decided to sit him out as a precautionary measure and will decide how to progress after getting test results on the injury.
According to Brown, the team doesn’t expect the injury to be a major one, but they intend to give Altuve enough time to recover.
“I don’t think there’s any rush to bring him back,” Brown said on Wednesday. “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.”
Jose Altuve was limited to only 32 games this season due to a combination of injuries. He is batting .264, his career-worst aside from the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, and has six homers and 18 RBIs.
Despite Altuve’s limited impact in 2023, he is still a leader in the clubhouse and an important player for the Astros. It makes sense for the team to minimize the risk of bigger injury and ensure he is ready to help them during the final stretch of the season.
The Astros are currently second in AL West with a 49-38 record and 2.5 games behind the leading Texas Rangers.
