Albers rejoins Astros after paternity leave

ARLINGTON -- As expected, veteran reliever Matt Albers rejoined the Astros on Friday prior to the series opener against the Rangers at Globe Life Park. He had been on paternity leave after his wife, Tara, gave birth to a son, Mason James, on Tuesday in Houston.

Albers, smiling from ear to ear, said mother and baby were doing fine back home.

"Everybody is doing great," he said. "I think I'm still kind of excited, so I'm going to go on that. I'll probably hit the hotel bed and sleep for about 12 hours straight tonight."

While being away from his newborn baby is tough, Albers said being away from his teammates for their series in Toronto wasn't easy, either.

"It's tough both ways," he said. "Luckily, her parents live right there, right down the street from us. That makes it real nice. It's not fun having to leave right away, but baby and momma are healthy, and that's what's important. It's just sinking in. It's definitely a life-changing experience."