What happened to Jose Altuve? Astros superstar forced to exit game vs Marlins early

Houston Astros slugger Jose Altuve had to be lifted early from Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins. The scrappy infielder fouled a ball off his shin but stayed in the game to finish his at-bat.

Altuve got his 1,997th career hit during that at-bat as he beat out an infield single. Afterward, Mauricio Dubon replaced the injured Altuve as he made his way to the tunnels with team doctors.

This is not ideal for Jose Altuve, who started the season on the IL after suffering a broken thumb in the World Baseball Classic. It caused him to miss 71 games this season and had Houston's backs against the wall.

Altuve will be considered day-to-day until he undergoes some testing. Hopefully, this injury is insignificant because the Astros need Altuve in the lineup,

After a rocky start to the season, Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros look dangerous

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The Houston Astros have regained their confidence after a rocky start to the season. They are 68-52, putting them in second place in the American League West. The Astros are 3.5 games behind the Texas Rangers, who lead the division.

Jose Altuve has been a big part of this team's success. Through 49 games, he is hitting .323/.422/.545 with nine home runs and 12 stolen bases.

Altuve is not the only player putting on a fantastic season in Houston. Kyle Tucker is seeing the ball well this year. He is hitting .294/.376/.514 with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs.

Pitching has also helped the Astros look dominant this year. They have a team ERA of 3.79, which ranks them third in all of baseball.

Houston has the roster to make another run in the postseason this year. Can they repeat as World Series champions, or will their flame start to run out?