Astros’ Yordan Alvarez Faces Uncertain Future After Mysterious Hand Inflammation Lands Him on Injured List
Well, here we go again – Yordan Alvarez, the Houston Astros’ power hitter, is sidelined with a pesky inflammation in his right hand, landing him on the 10-day injured list. Not the kind of news Astros fans wanted to wake up to, especially since it forced him out of the last couple of games against the Chicago White Sox this past weekend. The team made the announcement ahead of their game Monday night in Milwaukee, applying the move retroactively to Saturday, which means the clock’s tickin’ on his recovery already.
Of course, baseball’s a game of chess, and Houston responded swiftly by calling up catcher César Salazar from their Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land to fill the roster spot. You have to admire the seamless roster juggling that keeps the club competitive, but let’s face it – losing a guy like Alvarez, even if temporarily, is a big hit.
Now, peeking at Alvarez’s numbers this season, he’s been a shadow of his usual self, hitting just .210 with a modest .306 on-base percentage, knocking out three homers, and tallying 18 RBIs in 29 games. That’s a stark contrast to his blockbuster 2024 campaign, where he lit up the league with a .308 average, .392 on-base, 35 homers, and 86 RBIs over 147 games, not to mention snagging his third All-Star nod and finishing ninth in the AL MVP race. His elite OPS? A staggering .959 or better for the past three seasons, ranking fourth in the American League last year — that’s the kind of consistency that sets stars apart.
As for Salazar, the 26-year-old catcher’s stepping up with a .197 average, .305 on-base, two homers, and seven RBIs in 21 games at Triple-A so far. He’s no stranger to Houston’s big-league roster either, having put up a .320 average and .387 OBP in 12 games last year — solid numbers, but can he fill Alvarez’s shoes? Time will tell.
The Astros are at a critical juncture this season, with the absence of a slugger like Alvarez forcing adjustments — on offense and morale. It’s that nagging tension we all dread as fans: can they hold their ground without their superstar? Whatever happens, I’ll be watching intently.
MILWAUKEE — Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is going on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his right hand.
The issue had caused the three-time All-Star to miss the last two games of the Astros’ weekend series with the Chicago White Sox. The move, announced before the Astros’ Monday night game at Milwaukee, is retroactive to Saturday.
Houston recalled catcher César Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move.
Alvarez, 27, has batted .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. That follows a 2024 season in which he batted. 308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games while earning a third straight All-Star Game selection and finishing ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player voting.
He has posted an OPS of at least .959 each of the past three seasons and ranked fourth in the AL in that category last year.
Salazar, 26, was hitting .197 with a .305 on-base percentage, two homers and seven RBIs in 21 games for Sugar Land. He hit .320 with a .387 on-base percentage, no homers and eight RBIs in 12 games with Houston last year.
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