Astros 2B Altuve off IL, will play Wednesday

The Houston Astros activated second baseman Jose Altuve from the injured list, and he'll play Wednesday afternoon when the Astros meet the Cincinnati Reds. Altuve, a six-time All-Star and the National League MVP in 2017, will play second base and bat third. He has been out since sustaining a left hamstring strain on May 10.

In a corresponding move, the Astros optioned left-hander Cionel Perez to Triple-A Round Rock. "It's been forever, but at the same time, it's helped me a lot that the guys have been playing so good and winning a lot of games," Altuve said. "It makes me feel better about not playing."

The Astros lead the American League West by 8 1/2 games over the Texas Rangers. They were 24-11 in Altuve's absence. Before going on the injured list, Altuve was hitting .243 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs in 39 games.