Brandon Barnes (calf) went 1-for-4 in his return to action Friday.

Barnes hadn't played since Tuesday due to a mild left calf strain. He's now batting .246/.301/.360 with five home runs in 236 at-bats this season.

Brandon Barnes left Tuesday's game against the Athletics after six innings with a mild left calf strain.

Barnes suffered the injury while running the bases in the fifth inning. He'll be re-evaluated before Wednesday's game, but consider him day-to-day for now.

Brandon Barnes was an offensive terror in Friday's 10-7 loss to the Mariners, hitting the cycle en route to a 5-for-5 night.

Barnes homered in the second, tripled in the fourth, singled in the sixth and completed the cycle with an eighth-inning double. Barnes, who added an infield single in the ninth, collected two RBI and three runs in the contest. Despite the big day, Barnes is batting just .250/.306/.375 on the season.

Brandon Barnes went 3-for-5 with a couple of steals against the White Sox on Monday.

Justin Maxwell is expected back in Houston's lineup on Tuesday, but Barnes should remain the team's center fielder, with Maxwell primarily playing right. That doesn't give him much fantasy value -- he's been struggling offensively since his nice April -- but he's an acceptable fifth outfielder in AL-only leagues.

Brandon Barnes (hamstring) is back in Monday's lineup against the Mariners.

Barnes sat out Sunday's game with hamstring tightness, but it was never a major concern. The 27-year-old is hitting .292 with three home runs, 14 RBI and four stolen bases in 46 games this season.

Brandon Barnes is not in the Astros' lineup Sunday due to a tight left hamstring.

Barnes had to exit Saturday's game early due to the ailment. He's considered day-to-day. "It's fine," Barnes said Sunday. "I have to run on it. I just tried to rest it (overnight). It's just a matter of it not getting loose on me last night. I should be fine." Trevor Crowe is getting the start in center field Sunday.

Brandon Barnes went 2-for-4 with his third homer of the year on Tuesday, but the Astros lost to the Orioles.

Barnes has been getting more love of late, as he's started every game since coming through with a game-winning double on May 27. In that span, Tuesday was his third multi-hit game. Without any clearly better options, the Astros will likely continue to roll with Barnes while he's producing.

Brandon Barnes delivered a game-winning double in the bottom of the 12th to lift the Astros over the Rockies on Monday.

It's incredible how little respect Barnes has gotten from the Astros, particularly given the struggles of the team's other outfielders. Despite an .850 OPS in 64 at-bats, he's started just one game in the last two weeks. His double today came in his lone at-bat after he entered as a pinch-runner. We're not big believers in Barnes' bat, either, but considering the competition (Rick Ankiel, Robbie Grossman, Trevor Crowe!, Jimmy Paredes), it's odd that he hasn't gotten a chance to prove the doubters wrong.

Brandon Barnes went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and a steal against the Yankees on Monday.

The Astros would be better off using Barnes in center and Fernando Martinez in right with Justin Maxwell out, but they appear to be committed to giving Robbie Grossman a chance in center for now, which leaves Barnes with a part-time role in right. Barnes has excelled right since the start of the spring, and he's now hitting .405 in 37 at-bats on the season.

Brandon Barnes has made the Astros' Opening Day roster.

Barnes will serve as a kind of utility outfielder. He's hitting .306 with a 1.010 OPS in 20 games this spring.

Brandon Barnes hit his fourth spring homer Tuesday off the Blue Jays' Mark Buehrle.

Barnes has hit the four homers in just 30 at-bats. Last year, he hit one in 98 at-bats after the Astros called him up. It still doesn't look like he has much chance of making the club, though he's definitely made a case for overtaking J.D. Martinez for a part-time role. Chris Carter, Justin Maxwell, Fernando Martinez and Rick Ankiel figure to be four of Houston's five outfielders.

Brandon Barnes went 2-for-2 with a homer Friday against the Braves.

After struggling in his audition last year, Barnes was supposed to bow out of the Astros' outfield picture early this spring. Instead, he's hit .368 with three homers in 19 at-bats. If he keeps it up, he might steal away J.D. Martinez's spot.

Brandon Barnes homered and threw out a runner at home plate in the Astros' 8-3 defeat of the Phillies on Saturday.

Barnes got a look in center field for the Astros last season, hitting .204/.250/.265 in 98 at-bats. That poor showing makes him an underdog to come away with a roster spot this spring, but the Houston outfield is wide open, with only Justin Maxwell looking like a lock.

Astros re-signed OF Brandon Barnes to a minor league contract.

He'll also get an invite to spring training. Barnes, 25, batted .238/.313/.426 with 15 homers, 54 RBI, 11 stolen bases and a .739 OPS over 487 plate appearances between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. He'll be a long shot to make the Astros' roster.