Altuve Lands on IL with Grade 2 Oblique Strain, Astros Shuffle Infield

The Houston Astros placed second baseman Jose Altuve on the injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain after he left Saturday’s game; he homered off Jacob deGrom but was sidelined on Sunday. At 36, Altuve has been roughly league-average in 42 games after a hot start, and his defensive metrics have declined. With Pena (hamstring) and Correa (ankle) also out, Houston’s infield depth is thin, with players like Braden Shewmake, Nick Allen, and Brice Matthews in the mix for fill-ins. Jake Meyers is nearing a return from an oblique injury, which could help offset Altuve’s loss, and he’s expected to travel with the team for a series in Minnesota as the club assesses its options.