Jose Altuve will undergo an MRI on Sunday after exiting the Houston Astros’ 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night with soreness on his left side, per the report. Altuve left the game in the ninth inning after appearing to injure himself earlier in the contest.
The report says Altuve took an awkward swing and did not run after grounding a ball to third base in the eighth inning. He was seen holding his left side as he walked to the dugout, where manager Joe Espada and a trainer met him. Nick Allen replaced Altuve at second base in the ninth.
The Astros entered Saturday’s game with 14 players on the injured list, a depth concern that adds context to Altuve’s exit. “It’s frustrating, for sure,” first baseman Christian Walker said. “I see the guys prepare the right way every day. I see guys taking care of their body. Altuve’s dialed in. He eats the right stuff. He sleeps. He lives right and for something like that, it’s truly just a part of the game,” Walker said.
Altuve provided an offensive spark before his exit, leading off Saturday’s game with his fourth home run of the season. He is batting .245 with 12 RBI for the Astros, who are 19-28 this season, the report says.
The immediate next step is the MRI scheduled for Sunday to evaluate the soreness on Altuve’s left side, per the report. The team did not provide further details about his availability following the scan.
