Valbuena went 1-for-2 with two walks, a home run and two runs scored during Wednesday's 10-4 win over the Angels.

EDGE Analysis

The Astros were lacking offensive production from the hot-corner earlier this season, but Valbuena is hitting .326/.445/.539 with four homers, 12 RBI and 19 walks over the last 30 days. His nine home runs are well behind the 25 he hit last season, but he's getting on base (.359) at a much higher clip and his .809 OPS is currently the best of his career.

Valbuena went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts hitting out of the two-hole during Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Angels.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena does have two three-hit performances over his last four games, but Tuesday's Golden Sombrero dropped his batting average from .263 to .257 on the season.

Valbuena (back) is in the lineup Saturday against the Royals, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena was removed from Friday's game due to tightness in his lower back, but the issue was never deemed to be anything serious. As expected, the lefty will start at his usual third base spot Saturday, and he'll bat eighth in the order.

Valbuena left Friday's game with lower-back tightness but is expected to play Saturday, the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena felt he could have stayed in Friday's game after injuring his back during a second-inning at-bat, but manager A.J. Hinch decided to remove him from the contest with the Astros already well ahead on the scoreboard. The Astros will confirm Valbuena's status for Saturday's game when they release their lineup several hours prior to first pitch.

Valbuena is not in the lineup Tuesday against St. Louis, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena will sit in place of Danny Worth, who is is getting the start at third base and batting second. Valbuena is slowly emerging from an early-season slump as he batted .180 before May but has hit .262 in 122 at bats since then.

Valbuena is out of the lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Rangers, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena will get a day of rest in order to pack the lineup with right-handed hitters against southpaw starter Cole Hamels. Switch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez will start in Valbuena's place at third base, and bat sixth.

Valbuena went 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs, a walk and a strikeout against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena has been displaying his power of late, hitting four homers over the past 10 games. The 30-year-old third baseman is never going to hit for a high average, but he'll be valuable as long as he keeps crushing the ball like he's done of late.

Valbuena is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena started the last six games for the Astros, but he will be held out Monday with the team employing a righty-heavy lineup against Diamondbacks starter Edwin Escobar. Valbuena has seen time at both first base and third base of late, but Tyler White and Marwin Gonzalez, respectively, will play those positions Monday.

Valbuena went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer Thursday, his third straight game with a long ball -- all against the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

The O's will be glad to move on from Houston after they got swept in no small part because of Valbuena's three homers and five RBI. The lefty-hitting journeyman had been in the midst of a tough year before this three-game stretch -- he was under the Mendoza line and had only homered twice in 38 games. Considering that even in the best of times, Valbuena contributes meaningfully in no fantasy category besides homers, he's best left for AL-only formats.

Valbuena is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rangers, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Valbuena will be replaced by Marwin Gonzalez, who is seventh in the batting order. Valbuena has played in six of the last seven for the Astros, and with no news of injury, this seems to be a routine day off for him.