Springer goes on IL with hamstring strain

The Astros avoided a catastrophe.

Tests on George Springer’s injured left hamstring revealed a Grade 2 strain, general manager Jeff Luhnow said Saturday.

Springer will be sidelined indefinitely — much longer than the prescribed 10 days he must stay on the injured list — but given the gloom that surrounded the injury Friday night, the news was welcomed.

“It’s not as dramatic as we’d feared,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “(Team doctors) were encouraged by their findings and their observations. He’s really sore. He’s not going to do anything for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, if the initial diagnosis is right, we’ve avoided a catastrophe after what it looked like on the field.”

Springer departed Friday’s

4-3 win over the Red Sox after sprinting for a foul ball along the right-field line during the eighth inning. Springer slid to avoid crashing into the wall. After the game, Springer said he felt his hamstring “lock up.”

Springer voluntarily removed himself from the game and limped toward the dugout. He slammed his glove on the bench in frustration. Hinch offered a grim postgame prognosis, saying he was “not looking forward to the diagnosis.”

“It could have been worse based on how he was feeling last night,” Luhnow said Saturday.

Springer was unavailable for comment prior to Saturday’s game against Boston. Derek Fisher was recalled from Class AAA Round Rock to take Springer’s spot on the 25-man roster.

Jose Altuve and Aledmys Diaz suffered Grade 1 hamstring strains earlier this season.

Those are typically more day-today injuries and — in Diaz’ case — do not even require a trip to the injured list. Grade 2 strains often do involve a partial tear of the muscle.

“We’re probably looking at a couple weeks plus,” Luhnow said. “But it depends. I’ve had plenty of these in the past that have lasted a month. We’re not going to put a time frame on it, but we know he’s going to miss some time right now.”

The injury stagnates Springer’s ascension atop American League leader boards and a season that started better than any of his five that preceded it.

Springer entered Saturday as the AL leader in home runs and RBIs. His 1.032 OPS was seventh among all qualified hitters. Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs both valued Springer at 2.7 wins above replacement — higher than any of his Astros teammates.

“He’s obviously having a career year and has been our best player this year, and we need him back,” Luhnow said. “I think the rest will be good and we’ll get him back out there as soon as we can.”

Altuve to play today for Round Rock

Fifteen days after he was placed on the injured list with a strained left hamstring, Jose Altuve is scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Class AAA Round Rock on Sunday.

Altuve will join the Express, who started a six-game road swing Saturday. The seven-time All-Star will play second base and receive at least four at-bats in Sunday’s game in Nashville, Tenn.

Round Rock will play a doubleheader on Monday. Astros manager A.J. Hinch intimated Altuve will play in at least one of those games before the organization gauges Altuve’s progress.

General manager Jeff Luhnow was optimistic Altuve could rejoin the Astros before this 10-game homestand concludes Wednesday.

“We’re hoping to get him in a game here before we leave,” Luhnow said. “But certainly the goal is to have him activated and playing every day by the time we go on the road trip.”

Saturday’s was the 13th game Altuve has missed with the hamstring injury. His recovery played out somewhat slower than the team originally indicated, though Hinch and Luhnow said nothing in particular contributed to the slowdown.

“I think this time off has been beneficial to him,” Luhnow said of Altuve, who was hitting .243 and had an .801 OPS at the time of his injury. “In batting practice, his swing looks really good and he looks back to the form that we’ve grown accustomed to expect from Jose Altuve.”

Stassi leaves with an injury

Astros catcher Max Stassi exited with left knee discomfort before the start of the fifth inning Saturday.

Stassi had grounded out to complete the fourth inning. He stomped on first base and appeared to walk awkwardly in pain afterward.

He came out to receive warmup pitches from starter Brad Peacock, but soon he called for the team trainer and manager A.J. Hinch and was replaced by Robinson Chirinos.

Stassi was the second player to leave in the game. Red Sox starter David Price exited after throwing two-thirds of the first inning because of flu-like symptoms. Chandler Rome and Hunter Atkins