Astros 2B Altuve hitless in return from IL

The Houston Astros activated second baseman Jose Altuve from the injured list Wednesday, and he went 0-for-4 in his return to the lineup in a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Altuve, a six-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 2017, played his usual second base and batted third. He had 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 entered Wednesday leading the AL 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.