The Astros secured their second win against the Rangers on Saturday, but the excitement was short-lived after Altuve left the game with an injury.
In the eighth inning, Altuve grabbed his left side and stopped running out a double-play ball. Players don't just stop running mid-play unless something is seriously wrong. The main concern was a possible oblique injury. He was scheduled for medical imaging on Sunday and was left out of Sunday's lineup.
Altuve has now been officially placed on the injured list after being diagnosed with a grade 2 left oblique strain.
The 36-year-old face of the franchise has already dealt with an oblique injury back in 2023. Losing Altuve is a major blow to an already struggling team. Between Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve, the Astros are down two veteran players. Losing Altuve is the opposite of what the Astros need for their already thinning roster.
An oblique injury is not a quick recovery and can easily sideline a player for weeks. After the Astros won two games in a row, they finally have some momentum, and losing a clutch player is not what they need.
As of now, there is no set return date for Altuve, but luckily, the Astros should have a few key players back on the field soon. Jeremy Peña is set to return May 18, as well as Jake Meyers.
The Astros have no choice but to keep moving forward. With reinforcements on the way, the hope is that the returning players can help offset the loss of Altuve while the team waits for him to get healthy.