Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker on how star second baseman Jose Altuve is dealing with a hurt heel: "He’s pimping instead of limping"

It's been a difficult 2023 for Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve.

First, the former American League Most Valuable Player missed the first 43 games of the season due to a broken thumb suffered while batting in the World Baseball Classic in March. Then, he missed four games in early June with an oblique injury.

Now, he was forced from Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers with an injured heel suffered while stepping wrong on first base during Saturday's game between the two teams.

However, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Jose Altuve is expected back in the lineup at some point during the series against the St. Louis Cardinals that begins Tuesday.

Baker said that Altuve is looking much better on his feet:

"He's pimping instead of limping."

Jose Altuve has been forgivably inconstistent at the plate this season as he contends with his compounding injuries.

A career .306 hitter in 13 seasons with the Houston Astros, Altuve is mustering up a .263 batting average through 26 games in 2023. He has three homers and 11 RBIs with 18 runs scored through 99 at-bats entering Tuesday.

An eight-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger and three-time American League batting champion, Altuve is the straw that stirs the Astros offense. He has been the consistent focal point of the Houston offense since becoming a regular part of the team's lineup in 2012.

Like Jose Altuve, the Houston Astros are not quite their regular selves this season. While Houston is six games above .500 at 42-36 entering the series against the Cardinals, the Astros are five games back of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Currently, Houston sits one-half game out of the playoffs in the AL Wild Card chase, as AL East squads — Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees — are hogging up all three postseason slots.

Jose Altuve signed with Houston Astros through 2024

Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros in the dugout before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 24, 2023

Altuve has one more season left after this on a seven-year, $163.5 million contract with the Astros. The 33-year-old has put up a Hall of Fame resume already that includes the 2017 AL MVP Award and World Series championships in 2017 and 2022. In his younger days, he also led the AL in stolen bases twice with 56 in 2014 and 38 in 2015.