Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is back in the lineup Tuesday after missing three games with a strained right hamstring. Julia Morales of Root Sports tweeted the news along with a photo of the Astros' lineup late Tuesday morning.
Altuve, a major spark plug for the Astros, strained his hamstring Friday night trying to beat out a ground ball. The Astros were not certain how long he would have to miss, but Altuve said all along that he would get back into the lineup soon, and he has kept his word.
Altuve is hitting .290/.330/.395 on the season with 5 HR and 27 RBI from primarily the lead-off position. He has also stolen 17 bases, which leads the American League, and scored 27 runs in 61 games. He will hit third Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies as George Springer gets a shot at leading off.
The Astros enter play on Tuesday with a record of 37-28 and a 2.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the A.L. West. They are coming out of a recent rough stretch that saw them lose seven straight, but they have turned that around with two consecutive wins on Sunday and Monday. The Astros won 70 games all last season, and they are on pace to win 92 this year.