Astros' José Altuve, Yordan Álvarez Activated off IL After Oblique Injuries

The Houston Astros are getting back a pair of stars as they battle for the top spot in the AL West.

They announced Wednesday that both José Altuve and Yordan Álvarez were being activated off the injured list after each dealing with oblique injures:

"It's a good thing," general manager Dana Brown told reporters about the pair returning. "It feels like part of a trade. These guys that have been out for so much of the season, it feels like we're acquiring two players, and that's an impactful thing for this club and what they mean to this club."

Altuve, 33, has only played 32 games this year due to a fractured thumb and most recently an oblique injury, hitting .264 with six homers, 18 RBI, 25 runs, five stolen bases and a .850 OPS. Getting back the eight-time All-Star, three-time batting champion and former MVP is huge.

"I'm ready to play here," Altuve, who has been out since July 3, told reporters on Tuesday. "I really miss playing with my teammates, so I think we're going to go straight to games."

Álvarez, 26, is an equally huge bat to get back. The two-time All-Star has been out since June 8 with his oblique injuries, interrupting a fantastic season that saw him hit .277 with 17 dingers, 55 RBI, 41 runs and an impressive .978 OPS.

"They're arguably the two most dangerous hitters in the league," closer Ryan Pressly told reporters Tuesday regarding Altuve and Álvarez. "You put them in our lineup, you automatically get better. To get them back would be tremendous."

Even without them, the Astros did more than simply tread water. At 58-44, they sit just one game back of the Texas Rangers in the AL West, aided by two straight wins over Texas this week.

Altuve and Álvarez have only played 13 games together this season. The Astros will be hoping to have the star pair healthy down the stretch as they chase the Rangers.

"We've been doing a pretty good job making our way up the standings, and now we're just a game behind them and we're going to try to close it a little closer [Wednesday]," Kyle Tucker told reporters on Tuesday.