Houston Astros Infielder Could Start Injury Rehab This Week

Jose Altuve is making more progress from the oblique injury that cost him the final week of the first half of the Houston Astros' season.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown told the Astros’ pre-game radio show on Sunday that second baseman Jose Altuve could start an injury rehab assignment during the team’s road trip.

Per Astros manager Dusty Baker both Altuve and Michael Brantley ran bases on Sunday in Anaheim. If the Astros want to get Altuve a rehab assignment before they return to Minute Maid Park, he’ll have to start before the Astros host the Rangers on July 24.

Getting Altuve back would be welcome for the Astros, who have been without him for the second time this season.

The Astros scratched Altuve from a start on July 4 after he injured himself during batting practice. Two days later the Astros placed Altuve on the 10-day injured list with left oblique discomfort. Altuve was eligible to be activated on Friday.

Along with running bases, Altuve has been hitting both soft toss and off a tee.

He missed the start of the season with surgery on his fractured right thumb, an injury that occurred during the World Baseball Classic.

Altuve returned on May 19 and, aside from a short break from June 3-6 due to a minor setback, he’s played nearly every day. That setback was an oblique injury.

Altuve is batting .264 with six home runs and 18 RBI this season.

As for Brantley, who has missed the entire season after offseason shoulder surgery, Brown said "We're hoping we get him back one way or the other. It would be a big bonus."

His recovery from offseason shoulder surgery stalled before the All-Star Break, to the point where the Astros chose to shut him down for the final days leading up to the break. Baker said at the time that Brantley’s recovery had “plateaued.”

The Astros are off on Monday before starting a two-game series at Colorado on Tuesday.

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