Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve left Wednesday’s game against the Oakland Athletics with right side discomfort after the fifth inning, but both he and manager Joe Espada remain relatively unconcerned about the issue. Altuve signaled for Espada and the trainer to come out of the dugout after experiencing discomfort during his at-bat in the fifth inning. Despite completing the at-bat with a strikeout on a bunt attempt, Altuve did not return to the field in the sixth.
Espada mentioned that Altuve felt something after being deceived by a pitch, leading to the precautionary bunt with two strikes. Altuve classified his right side discomfort as only arising after that specific swing. Although Altuve dealt with an oblique injury last season, Espada indicated that the current discomfort is unrelated to that previous injury.
Altuve expressed optimism about his condition, stating he would wait to assess how he feels on Thursday. The Astros subbed in Mauricio Dubón to replace Altuve at second base in the sixth inning. Meanwhile, outfielder Chas McCormick received unfortunate news after being diagnosed with a small fracture in his right hand following a collision with the outfield wall during Tuesday night’s game. McCormick’s injury necessitates a placement on the 10-day injured list, with no specific timeline provided for his return.
McCormick lamented the setback, emphasizing his desire to contribute to the team’s success as they head towards the end of the season and playoffs. Altuve, who went 0 for 3 before exiting the game, holds a .302 batting average this season with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs, ranking fourth in the majors for hits before Wednesday’s game.