Jose Altuve is set to be activated from the 10-day disabled list and rejoin the Houston Astros for their game against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.Altuve, the reigning American League MVP, has been sidelined since July 26 with right knee soreness. The star second baseman played a rehab game with Triple-A Fresno on Sunday, going 1-for-3.”Unless something happens on the field today, that’s the best-case scenario for us,” Astros manager AJ Hinch told reporters Monday of activating Altuve. “He had a successful day [Sunday] of building some confidence and getting himself active where he could test himself. He did just about everything. He got a hit, he got on the bases, he made a hard turn, he sprinted from second base on a bloop single — reaction plays that we can’t really simulate in early work. It takes a game competition to do that. Mission accomplished.”The Astros have gone 8-13 since Altuve was injured, losing their grip on sole possession of first place in the American League West in the process. The Oakland Athletics have tied them atop the division at 75-50.Altuve, 28, is hitting .329 with nine home runs, 46 RBIs and 14 stolen bases this season. He was named an All-Star for the fifth consecutive year last month.The DL stint was the first of Altuve’s eight-year major league career.”He was in unchartered territory,” Hinch said. “He didn’t know how to feel or what to think and he was very nervous and rightfully so. Now that he’s been able to build back a little confidence and get some soreness out and go play a game and feel good about his change of direction on defense and offense, he’s a lot more confident that things are OK.”
