It’s going to be a bit longer before Yordan Alvarez is ready to return to the Houston Astros lineup.
While there was hope that Alvarez might be activated from the injured list this weekend, tests revealed his injury is worse than it originally appeared.
General manager Dana Brown told reporters before Saturday’s 16-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays that the pain Alvarez has experienced in his right hand is actually the result of a small fracture.
Alvarez, 27, has been on the IL since May 5 with the injury, which was originally described as right hand inflammation. Prior to that, the three-time MLB All-Star was slashing .210/.306/.340 with only three home runs and 18 RBI. His .646 OPS is more than 300 points below his career average of .959.
When is Yordan Alvarez Expected Back?
Alvarez hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since May 2, but his return appeared imminent after a batting practice session Friday as part of his rehab.
That changed, however, once Alvarez began experiencing renewed discomfort in his hand. He was then sent for further imaging, which, according to Brown, revealed a “very small fracture.”
“We tried to get him back this weekend and then realized, ‘Look, if it’s still bothering you, then we probably need to get more imaging,’” Brown told reporters. “Right now, we’re in the position (where) we’re hoping that he’s back in the near future. I think it could be soon, because it’s started to heal.
“He’s actually feeling better. I think with Yordan and the focus and the swings that he takes, he probably felt it a little bit, and that’s why we got the extra imaging.”
Brown said the swelling in Alvarez’s hand prevented the team from seeing the fracture in initial scans. Alvarez told reporters he may have exacerbated the injury while trying to play through it.
“Obviously I was very excited,” Alvarez told reporters through an interpreter. “I thought that was going to be the avenue for my return. But I was uncomfortable and wasn’t feeling good. And that’s where we took the decision (to do further testing).”
How Have the Astros Fared Without Yordan Alvarez?
Without Alvarez, Houston has gone 15-12 and kept pace with the Seattle Mariners (31-26), who held a half-game lead atop the American League West heading into Sunday.
The Astros (31-27) rank 14th in the majors in OPS and 18th in both runs scored and home runs. Additionally, they are tied for seventh in batting average (.255).
While that production has helped keep them in contention, there’s no question getting Alvarez back would significantly enhance their lineup. Alvarez hit 30 home runs for the fourth straight season in 2024, as he finished with 35 homers, 86 RBI and a .308 average.
The Astros remade their lineup during the offseason, trading outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and letting third baseman Alex Bregman leave in free agency for the Boston Red Sox.
Entering Saturday, the Astros had gotten just seven homers and 25 RBI from the DH spot, to go with an underwhelming .239/.309/.383 slash line.
Astros All-Star Slugger Gets Discouraging News on Hand Injury