Jose Altuve Exits Astros vs. Rangers After Suffering Knee Injury

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve exited Thursday's contest against the Texas Rangers in the third inning because of right knee discomfort.

Altuve was 1-for-1 with a run scored before being replaced in the lineup by Abraham Toro.

With a 60-game regular season in 2020, even the smallest setback can make a World Series run that much more difficult and few players are more important to their team than Altuve.

The six-time All-Star and 2017 MVP is hitting .224 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 2020 while providing a combination of power and speed at the top of the lineup. 

Should Altuve miss time, Aledmys Diaz—who shifted over to second after Altuve exited—would likely see more time on the right side of the infield. Diaz batted .271/.356/.467 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 69 games last season.

Another option includes calling up a player from Houston's taxi squad, which requires the team to select an athlete from its player pool. 

Still, without Altuve, Houston loses one of the most electrifying bats in the lineup and baseball loses one of its most exciting players.