HOUSTON β Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is taking a big step on his way to rejoining the team. Heβs starting a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land.
The Astros and Space Cowboys tweeted the news Friday morning. Altuve has 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.
Thereβs no word on how long the rehab assignment will be. Altuve follows Michael Brantley in rehabbing with the Space Cowboys. Brantley is yet to see action with the big league team yet.
The injury bug has bitten the Astros hard this year. Luis Garcia will require season-ending Tommy John surgery and Chaz McCormick suffered a back injury, but was rehabbing with Double-AA Corpus Christi. Lance McCullers and JosΓ© Urquidy are also out with injuries.
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys will host El Paso at 7 p.m. Friday at Constellation Field.