Left fielder Yordan Alvarez hasn’t taken the field for the Houston Astros since May 2 after a hand injury left him sidelined. While he had ramped up his activity level over the last several days, an apparent setback will now keep him out for a while longer.
Per Astros GM Dana Brown, imaging done on Friday discovered a fracture in Alvarez’s right hand which is about 60% healed. The superstar is expected to be shut down from hitting in the meantime without a timetable for return beyond “the near future.”
Alvarez didn’t quite look like himself in 29 appearances to start the 2025 MLB season. He slashed just .210/.306/.340 in 100 at-bats, tallying 21 hits, 18 RBIs and just three home runs. Each of those marks in his slash line represent new career-lows, as does his .646 OPS.
In short, it’s pretty clear to see that the 27-year-old wasn’t playing completely healthy.
While the Astros’ 31-26 record keeps them near the top of the AL West, they could certainly use an infusion of a healthy Alvarez into the lineup. The multi-time All-Star’s power hitting and plate process are among the best in the entire MLB, so striking fear into opposing pitchers would be an added benefit for Houston as they look to make it back to the playoffs with a re-tooled roster.
