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Chris Sale released from hospital, expected to join Red Sox in Houston

Chris Sale lasted just four innings in his Game 1 start on Saturday. jim davis/Globe staff/Globe Staff

HOUSTON — Red Sox ace Chris Sale, who was hospitalized early Sunday morning with a stomach ailment, was discharged on Monday is expected to rejoin the team in Houston on Tuesday.

His status for the remainder of the American League Championship Series is uncertain.

“We’ll see how he feels physically, and then after that we’ll decide what we’re going to do,” manager Alex Cora said.

Sale started Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday, an erratic performance that lasted four innings. Cora said Sale was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital after the game, at approximately 2 a.m.

“He felt ill right after the game, started throwing up,” Cora said. “And then he decided to go to the hospital, and that was it.”

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Cora said the illness was not related to baseball or any medication Sale may have taken related to the shoulder inflammation that twice landed him on the disabled list this season.

“No, not that I know,” Cora said.

Cora said that he was told that it was nothing serious, and that Sale went through a battery of tests.

“He’ll be here [Tuesday], and hopefully physically he’s ready to go, and we’ll decide when he pitches,” Cora said.

All business

The Red Sox split a four-game series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park May 30-June 3. It was then when Cora, Houston’s former bench coach, received his World Series ring.

There were mixed emotions at the time. But those have vanished.

“Not anymore,” Cora said. “That was in the regular season. It’s a great place. It’s a great organization. I have a lot of friends over there. But what they want is what I want. This is different; this is playoffs.

“And for how much they quote unquote like me and they care about me, right now it’s the Red Sox against the Astros.

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“We will always be linked together because it was a special year last year. Not only on the field but off the field. But now it’s a little bit different. We have a job to do, and they do, too.”

Lineup changes

With Houston starting lefthander Dallas Keuchel in Game 3, Cora plans to return Eduardo Nunez to the lineup at third base despite Rafael Devers going 2 for 3 with a walk in Game 3.

Nunez is 2 for 14 in the postseason.

Lefthanded hitters have a .707 OPS against Keuchel, four points higher than righthanded hitters. “Although the numbers look like he’s been getting hit by lefties, you start looking at damage and what we can do offensively, and I think it’s a better matchup for us,” Cora said.

Cora also indicated he planned to start Ian Kinsler at second base and Christian Vazquez behind the plate.

“We’ve got a few matchups that probably late in the game tomorrow we can take advantage of it if they bring the [righthanded relievers] in,” Cora said.

Power outage

Andrew Benintendi has not hit a home run since Aug. 31, a span of 27 games and 110 at-bats counting the postseason. He has only two since the All-Star break and 16 overall.

“I don’t really care about home runs, honestly,” Benintendi said. “I’m not going to be a big home run hitter. I think everything else improved compared to last year, except the home run numbers.”

That is true. Benintendi’s OPS rose from .776 to .830, and he had 26 more total bases. That came from having 41 doubles and six triples.

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“I think I’d much rather take a higher average with less homers than more home runs and a lower average,” Benintendi said. “Because that’s the kind of player I am. I’m not going to go out and hit 30 or 40 or so.

“I know who I am as a player, and I think this year has been a big step for me compared to last year. So it’s definitely something to build on.”

Holt homecoming

Brock Holt, who played one season for Rice University, is happy to be back in Houston.

“I have a lot of friends in the area,” he said. “Obviously went to school here for a year and made some of my closest friends still to this day playing for Rice. It’s a good opportunity for me to come down and play. And every time I come down to Houston I enjoy it. Family and friends get to come, and it just feels like being home.”

Holt has hit .339 with an .878 OPS in 16 regular-season games at Minute Maid Park.

Work it out

Despite at 5 a.m. arrival in Houston, the Sox held a workout to get better acquainted with the indoor conditions. The Astros did not work out . . . Holt was asked if the Astros were the toughest team in baseball. “Besides the Boston Red Sox? Yes,” he said. “I feel these two teams are the best in baseball. Obviously, they’re the defending champs. We did what we did in the regular season. But they’re the champs. So they’re the ones everyone’s chasing.” . . . The Astros have 11 home runs in five playoff games; the Red Sox have four in six games. … TBS said Game 2 on Sunday had a 4.1 overnight rating, tops on cable television. Boston was the top local market at 20.6.

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Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.