MLB Rumors: Volpe shakeup, Cardinals hidden gem, brutal Astros injury
MLB Rumors: Astros get brutal injury news on Yordan Alvarez
The Houston Astros’ trip north of the border did not go to plan. Not only did the club lose ground in the AL West behind the division-leading Rangers after dropping the final three games of the four-game series against the Blue Jays, but now the team heads to Cleveland without one of its biggest stars and most important pieces: Yordan Alvarez.
Alvarez left Thursday’s loss in Toronto early with an injury and, as it turns out, it’s worse something just precautionary.
On Friday, the club placed the star DH on the IL with “left oblique discomfort” and will send him back to Houston rather than traveling with the team to Cleveland so he can undergo further evaluation and treatment, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
The Astros placed Yordan Alvarez on the injured list with right oblique discomfort. He is going back to Houston for further evaluation.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 9, 2023
Alvarez has continued to deliver as one of the best power-hitters and run producers in baseball this season, slashing .272/.384/.579 on the season with 17 home runs, 11 doubles and an absurd 55 RBI.
The Astros offense isn’t barren with Alvarez out of the lineup but it is certainly lesser. While midseason injuries are something every MLB teeam is forced to weather, the fact of the matter is Houston is in an unfamiliar position in the division with the surge of the Rangers to start the season and anything to set them back could be detrimental, which an extended Alvarez absence could certainly qualify as.
More importantly, the “discomfort” label of the injury does raise some alarms. Getting evaluated in Houston should provide more clarity on the injury, but the fact that they don’t initially know the cause is concerning and is something to monitor, particularly in relation to how long he could be out of the lineup and, as such, how long the Astros will be missing his big bat.