HOUSTON (AP) — Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will have an MRI on Sunday after leaving Houston's 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers in the ninth inning Saturday night with soreness on his left side.
Altuve took an awkward swing and didn't run after hitting a grounder to third base in the eighth. He held his left side as he walked to the dugout, where he was met by manager Joe Espada and a trainer. Nick Allen replaced Altuve at second base in the ninth.
The Astros entered Saturday’s game with 14 players on the injured list.
“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.”
Altuve led off Saturday’s game with his fourth home run of the season. The nine-time batting .245 with 12 RBIs for the Astros, who are 19-28 this season.
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The story has been corrected to show the final score Saturday night was 4-1 instead of 2-0.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve throws to first base for an out during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit his 15th homer and the Houston Astros matched a season high with four longballs in a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Saturday night that left Texas' Jacob deGrom stuck at 99 career wins.
Jose Altuve sent deGrom's third pitch of the game into the Crawford Boxes in left field for the 42nd leadoff homer of his career. Alvarez also went deep in the first.
Altuve left the game in the ninth inning with soreness on his left side. He took an awkward swing and didn't run after hitting a grounder to third base in the eighth.
Christian Walker opened the third inning with his 11th homer, and with two outs, Zach Cole homered to make it 4-0.
DeGrom (3-3) allowed four homers for just the second time in 257 career starts. The first time was on April 22, 2017, against the St. Louis Cardinals. He surrendered just one other hit over six innings and did not walk a batter.
Kai-Wei Teng (2-3) struck out seven over five scoreless innings. It was the third time in Teng's career he's completed five innings, and his 76 pitches were a career high.
After Steven Okert retired the side in order in the sixth, Joc Pederson drove in a run with a single against Enyel De Los Santos, but Bryan King got pinch hitter Andrew McCutchen to fly out to center with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Bryan Abreu stranded two runners in the eighth inning, and then got Ezequiel Duran to ground into a fielder’s choice with two on in the ninth for his second save.
The Rangers were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base.
Astros RHP Peter Lambert (2-3, 2.76 ERA) faces Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 4.15) on Sunday as Houston seeks a three-game sweep of its in-state rival.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Houston Astros pitcher Kai-Wei Teng claps after getting out of a jam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom delivers during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates with Braden Shewmake (28) after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
