Altuve returns from rehab stint

TORONTO — Jose Altuve traveled back to Houston on Sunday with the expectation he’ll be activated from the injured list during the Astros’ upcoming sevengame homestand.

Altuve finished 3-for-7 during a two-game minor league rehab assignment with the Class AAA Sugar Land Space Cowboys. He played a full nine innings in both games at second base.

On Sunday’s pregame radio show, Houston general manager James Click said “the hope” is to activate Altuve prior to Monday’s series opener against the Mariners.

Altuve hasn’t played a major league game since straining his left hamstring on April 18 against the Angels. Aledmys Díaz and Niko Goodrum have filled in at second base during his absence.

Baker still mum on roster cuts

With the Astros having to trim their roster to 26 players Monday, manager Dusty Baker shed no light Sundayt on the team’s looming cuts.

After a 99-day lockout and shortened spring training, Major League Baseball allowed teams to carry 28-man rosters throughout April. The league will allow teams to carry a 14-man pitching staff — reversing a prior ruling that mandated a 13-man pitching staff and 13-man position player group by May 2.

Teams that choose a 14-man pitching staff must go back to 13 pitchers on May 30.

If the Astros choose a 14-man pitching staff, they must jettison two position players to the minor leagues. Of those with minor league options, only J.J. Matijevic and Niko Goodrum seem in danger of a demotion. One of them is likely to be sent down when Altuve returns from the injured list this week.

Sending down another position player would leave the Astros with almost no infield depth on their bench aside from Aledmys Díaz. If two pitchers are sent down during roster cuts, the most likely candidates for a demotion are Parker Mushinski, Ronel Blanco and Seth Martinez.

Brantley back; Bregman sits

Michael Brantley returned to the Astros’ lineup on Sunday after a two-game absence due to “health and safety protocols,” while third baseman Alex Bregman received a day off during the team’s long stretch without an off day.

Brantley missed Friday and Saturday’s games with what the team described as “health and safety protocols” — the Astros’ convoluted way of describing issues related to COVID-19.

It is unknown whether Brantley tested positive for the virus, but he attended Saturday’s game, participated in pregame activities, and sat in the dugout throughout the 2-1 loss. In the past, the Astros have used “health and safety protocols” to describe players who have symptoms of the virus but did not test positive.

Brantley served as the designated hitter for Sunday’s series finale against the Blue Jays..

Lefty reliever Morgan released

The Astros have released lefthanded reliever Adam Morgan after he exercised the opt-out in his minor league contract, multiple people familiar with the situation said Sunday.

Along with Zac Rosscup, Morgan signed a minor league deal in spring training to afford some veteran competition for the final few spots in Houston's bullpen. Neither man broke camp with the major league team.

Sugar Land rally comes up short

Home runs from Korey Lee and Pedro León weren’t nearly enough for Sugar Land to overcome a 12-run deficit as the Space Cowboys closed a 12-game road trip with a 15-10 loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday.

The Space Cowboys, who went 7-5 on the trip, took a 2-0 first-inning lead on Michael Papierski’s two-run single before surrendering 14 consecutive runs.

David Hensley went 2-for-4 for Sugar Land, extending his on-base streak to 22 games.