SEATTLE — The Houston Astros on Monday night concluded what was their longest stretch without All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve since he made his debut as a 21-year-old on July 20 Mike Trout Jersey , 2011.Altuve will be reinstated from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday and will rejoin the starting lineup following a 21-game hiatus caused by right knee discomfort when Houston visits the Seattle Mariners.Altuve exited in the fifth inning July 25 against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. He landed on the DL for the first time in his decorated eight-year career later that week. The Astros (75-50) dropped the opener of their three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Monday and fell to 8-13 without Altuve.Article continues below ...Altuve made one rehab assignment start Sunday for Triple-A Fresno at Tacoma, finishing 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch. He got all the requisite work in advance of his return to action and declared himself fit to play following what has been an unusual experience.“That was my first Triple-A game. Believe it or not, I was a little excited,” said Altuve, who made the jump to the majors from Double-A Corpus Christi. “It’s been a long time since I played in the minor leagues … but I know this was just part of my rehab.“I have what I was looking to have.”Said Astros manager A.J. Hinch: “He had a successful day 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 http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , he sprinted to second base on a bloop single. They were reaction plays that we can’t really simulate in early work. It takes game competition to do that.”For the first time this season, the Astros will utilize a sixth starter. Hinch has declared the second game of the series a bullpen day, with right-hander Brad Peacock (2-4, 3.19 ERA) slated to get the start against Seattle. The rotation void was created when right-hander Lance McCullers was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right forearm strain Aug. 5.Peacock is 5-4 with a 4.42 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) versus Seattle, including four scoreless relief appearances over 5 1/3 innings this season.Right-hander Mike Leake (8-7, 3.90 ERA) will start for the Mariners. Leake has recorded six consecutive quality starts, going 0-1 with a 2.54 ERA during that stretch. Despite allowing only two hits and one walk over eight scoreless innings in his previous outing against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday Garrett Richards Jersey , Leake did not factor into the decision. He is 6-6 with a 3.67 ERA over 15 career appearances (13 starts) against the Astros, including 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA this season.The Mariners (72-54) pulled to within 3 1/2 games of Houston and the Athletics in the American League West after rallying for a 7-4 victory in the series opener. The Mariners have won five consecutive games against the slumping Astros, who have dropped eight of 10 to fall back into a tie with the Athletics atop the division.Closer Edwin Diaz has saved each of the last six Seattle victories over the Astros and matched the franchise record with his 48th save Monday. WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals to a man insisted Tuesday night their season is not over despite the trades of Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams.They walked the walk in the opener against the Phillies and look to keep it going Wednesday night.Andrew Stevenson and Wilmer Difo hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run sixth inning and Washington (63-63) rallied past the Phillies 10-4 in a game that was delayed 1:42 by rain in the third inning. Article continues below ...Stevenson, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the day, drove to Washington and, thanks to the delay, was there to tie the game with his first career homer http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , a two-run pinch-hit shot to center. Difo, Murphy’s replacement at second base, followed with a go-ahead shot.Ryan Zimmerman also homered and Matt Wieters drove in three runs.“That was a long day, but it ended well,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said following a game that ended after midnight.“That shows the character of these guys, it really does. They haven’t given up all year. I said before, these guys could have folded a long time ago and they’re not. … I’m proud to see the way they came out Huston Street Jersey , we fell behind, and they kept battling.”The Phillies (68-57) had taken a 4-1 lead in their half of the sixth, but their bullpen couldn’t hold it as the Nationals pounded out 14 hits.“I would say that the Nationals have been dangerous since opening day and they will be a dangerous team until the last game of the season,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said.Right-hander Zach Eflin (9-4, 3.70 ERA) opposes Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg (6-7, 3.90) in the middle game on Wednesday.Eflin was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following his Aug. 10 start and recalled as the 26th man to pitch the second game of a doubleheader Aug. 16 against the Mets. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to earn the win and was optioned back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, losing major league service time and salary.“We trust that our players are strong-minded http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey ,” Kapler told mlb.com, “and we trust that they can put things like what happened with the option behind them and focus on the step right in front of them.”Eflin is 1-0 against the Nationals for his career. He beat them on June 22 when he allowed two runs in five innings.Strasburg (cervical nerve impingement) made his last start on July 20, when he returned from a six-week disabled list stint due to shoulder inflammation. He went back on the DL five days later. He’s thrown several bullpens and a simulated game in recent weeks but did not make a rehab start.“Credit to Stras that he got himself ready to pitch for us and have that opportunity to go up against a team we’re trying to catch,” Martinez said. “He’s been working diligently and he feels good.”This will be his first start against the Phillies this season. He’s 10-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 21 career starts against them, his lowest ERA versus an NL East foe.The Nationals need Strasburg to hit the ground running if they want to climb back into the NL East race.“We’ve still got a great lineup and a great staff — getting Stephen Strasburg back here awfully soon — and a couple of our bullpen pieces back as well,” Bryce Harper said Tuesday. “Just gotta battle. Keep going and keep playing ball.”