HOUSTON -- Astros slugger Evan Gattis, who last year led the club in triples (11), homers (25) and RBIs (88), was activated from the disabled list following Houston's 8-2 win over the Royals on Monday night. He will rejoin the club for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday. Infielder Matt Duffy was optioned to Triple-A Fresno to make room.
Gattis homered in his fourth and final Minor League rehab game at Double-A Corpus Christi on Monday, going 1-for-2. Astros manager A.J. Hinch wouldn't say whether Gattis would be in the lineup Tuesday, but you can expect him to get plenty of at-bats at designated hitter and, eventually, catcher.
"It will be nice to get him back," Hinch said. "His presence will be good for us. It makes us closer to full strength. ... We're going to continue the catching development program and keep that alive.
"He won't catch tomorrow, but he's going to continue to do his drills. His presence, his ability to impact games, he can put a point on the board any given swing. Where he fits in our lineup, how often he fits in our lineup, what position he plays is all going to be determined, but he makes our team better."
Gattis, who had sports hernia surgery right before Spring Training, was a catcher with the Braves in 2013-14 before coming to the Astros. He was used mostly at designated hitter last year and has appeared in 59 career games in the outfield, but Hinch has said all spring he'd like to expand his versatility by getting him back behind the plate.