Houston Astros manager Joe Espada announced Yordan Alvarez news before Friday's game against the New York Yankees.
Astros' Joe Espada Announces Yordan Alvarez News Before Yankees Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Houston Astros have had an incredible season so far, currently sitting in first place in the AL West at 64–51, but with the Seattle Mariners riding a four-game winning streak, the division lead has shrunk to just 1.5 games with two months remaining.
Houston has weathered a wave of injuries, none more impactful than the absence of superstar left-handed slugger Yordan Alvarez, who has appeared in just 29 games this season.
The 28-year-old also struggled at the plate when healthy, batting a career-low .210 with a .646 OPS and just three home runs in 100 at-bats for the Astros in 2025.
Yordan Alvarez Injury Timeline
- Late April: Alvarez experiences hand issues but continues playing
- May 5: Placed on the 10-day injured list with a muscle strain in his right hand
- July 2: Transferred to the 60-day IL after further evaluation revealed a fractured fourth metacarpal
- Early-July: Shut down due to inflammation following a setback
- July 3: Received two injections in his right hand to reduce inflammation and aid recovery
- Late July: Resumed hitting off a tee and soft toss at 60–65% intensity
Ahead of Friday’s game against the New York Yankees, manager Joe Espada announced an update on Alvarez.
"Yordan Alvarez is still in the coach's BP stage of his hitting progression, Joe Espada said. Alvarez hit in the cage today and is scheduled to hit on the field tomorrow in West Palm Beach."
Yordan Alvarez is still in the coach's BP stage of his hitting progression, Joe Espada said. Alvarez hit in the cage today and is scheduled to hit on the field tomorrow in West Palm Beach.
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) August 8, 2025
Astros Counting on Alvarez to Return Before Playoff Push
With time winding down in 2025, Houston will hope that if Alvarez can return this year, his small sample size will be in the past and he can return to his dominant self. The Cuban slugger debuted in 2019 and, despite playing just 87 games, took home the AL Rookie of the Year Award after hitting 27 home runs with a 1.067 OPS.
Since then, he has led the team to a World Series title in 2022 and consistently finished in the top 10 for AL MVP voting, despite his value coming solely from the batter’s box. He has also collected three consecutive All-Star selections prior to 2025 and one Silver Slugger Award.
If Alvarez returns to the form that made him one of the game’s most feared hitters, Houston may be destined for another deep postseason run.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
