LaMonte Wade Jr. placed on IL with hamstring strain as Astros recall Joey Loperfido

The Houston Astros’ trip to Los Angeles delivered a rare split update on the health front, with one roster blow looming and another appearing manageable. Infielder Nick Allen, who had been removed from Sunday’s game after straining his left hamstring, was diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus hamstring strain and said he hoped to return when his 10 days on the injured list are up. Minutes later, the Astros received the tougher news involving veteran outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., whose right hamstring strain forced his placement on the injured list after he exited Monday’s 5-4 extra-inning win over the Angels.

Wade was taken out of that game after feeling the injury while running in the later stages, according to the Astros’ report. On Tuesday, manager Joe Espada acknowledged that the club’s expectations were different from Allen’s case, saying Wade’s diagnosis was “not as encouraging as Allen,” while emphasizing the Astros would monitor how he progresses. Wade has been used as a veteran bat and flexible defensive option since the team signed him last week, appearing in only four games before the injury.

The Astros’ roster move was immediate. With Wade sidelined, Houston recalled outfielder Joey Loperfido from Triple-A Sugar Land. Loperfido returned to the Astros’ lineup on Tuesday for the first time since a quad strain kept him out nearly two months, beginning with his original injury on April 17. Early in the season before his latest stint in the minors, Loperfido slashed.276/.348/.362 in 20 games and had returned to form in Triple-A to the tune of a.297/.381/.732 line over 37 at-bats.

Wade’s early production with Houston had also been a point of attention because of how quickly he integrated into the lineup. In his first four games with the Astros, he went 4-for-12 with a home run and four RBIs, a small sample but a productive start that underscored the importance of his versatility in the outfield and as a situational hitter. The hamstring strain now interrupts that run and leaves Houston searching for a stable right-field or corner-outfield plan in the short term.

Allen’s situation, by contrast, offered a clearer pathway. The team’s report described his hamstring as minor, and Allen said he had received treatment before Tuesday’s game. Allen then planned to travel to San Diego for the birth of his first child, after which he would continue to push for a return at the end of his 10-day window. Even if Allen’s ailment stays on track, the Astros will be managing two different hamstring timelines and the variability that comes with one-player return targets.

For Houston, the immediate focus becomes how to cover the innings and at-bats vacated by Wade without overextending the younger depth. With Loperfido reinstated, the Astros likely will look to keep him available in a way that matches his swing and speed profile, while also balancing the outfield usage as Allen’s return date approaches. The next meaningful checkpoint is how the club’s daily lineup construction holds up if Wade’s recovery takes longer than the minimum 10-day shelf, since hamstrings can be unpredictable once they begin to tighten under game intensity. If both hamstring situations stay within their reported windows, Houston’s roster risk could be limited, but Tuesday’s contrast is a reminder that one injury can quickly reshape a bullpen-by-bat roster plan over the course of a homestand.