Astros 2B Jose Altuve’s imaging results after scary HBP vs. Giants

The Houston Astros’ Tuesday night clash against the San Francisco Giants began on the wrong foot (no pun intended). In the top of the first inning, veteran second baseman Jose Altuve, in his first plate appearance of the ballgame, was hit by a pitch on a 2-2 count. Altuve’s foot was caught by an errant slider from Giants starter Carson Whisenhunt, and he was evidently in pain in the immediate aftermath of that play.

Altuve did manage to stay in the game for a bit, although he did not come around to score even though the Astros had loaded the bases in the first inning. Houston later pulled him from the game prior to the bottom of the second inning, with Nick Allen coming in to replace him at second base.

After the game, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that Altuve had already undergone imaging on his foot, which then came back negative — a positive sign for the Astros. The 36-year-old complained that his foot was sore, and the Astros took prompt action to avoid risking making the situation worse.

At this stage of his career, Altuve is no longer a spring chicken. He can no longer shrug off hits the way he used to do back when he was younger. And the Astros are erring on the side of caution considering that they’re in the middle of a heated battle for the AL West crown.

The Astros ended up losing to the Giants on Tuesday, 4-1, and Altuve’s absence undoubtedly played a part in Houston’s offensive struggles on the night.

Altuve has declined quite considerably from his peak days, but he still remains a solid source of pop for the Astros. On the season, he has hit 13 home runs and driven in 35 runs through 95 games (408 plate appearances). He still produces above the level of a replacement player, and Houston is banking on him to keep on contributing once he recovers from this injury.

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