HOUSTON — Astros star Jose Altuve was pulled from the starting lineup on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels due to an oblique injury, the team said. He's also out on Sunday.
Team manager Dusty Baker said Altuve "felt something in his oblique" and was being held from the lineup as a precaution. Baker said this happened during an awkward swing the previous night.
"We certainly can't lose him," Baker said. "Like I told everybody, he's still in Spring Training mode. His mind's not, but his body is. We'll probably rest him today and tomorrow, and then we'll re-assess him."
This comes less than a month after Altuve returned to the team from a previous injury.
The star second baseman had been out of action since March when he was hit by a pitch in the World Baseball Classic while playing for Venezuela against the U.S. He suffered a fractured thumb and required surgery.
Altuve had just made his return to the Astros on May 19.
