Star Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez left today’s loss to the Twins after being hit in the leg by a pitch. After the game, manager Joe Espada informed reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that Alvarez is “feeling sore” while he nurses the injury, which has been diagnosed as a right knee contusion, but that the team has not sent the 27-year-old to be tested. Alvarez also spoke to reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) after the game, telling them through an interpreter that he was hit on the same spot on his knee a few weeks ago and that the inflammation from that previous incident had not fully healed when he was struck this afternoon. Alvarez admitted he was in.
The Astros have lost a key player to a hit by pitch for the second straight day, with star second baseman Jose Altuve leaving yesterday’s game after being struck in the wrist by a pitch. Altuve was not in the team’s roster for today’s game, but Kawahara reports that x-rays on the veteran’s wrist came back negative, and the star expected to miss little time due to the ailment. That may still be the case even after he was removed from today’s lineup, as Espada told reporters (including Kawahara) today that Altuve was available off the bench to pinch hit if required, but youngster Grae Kessinger eventually replaced Alvarez at DH.
The fact that Altuve, who has slashed an excellent.310/.360/.466 (136 wRC+) across 86 games this year in his 14th year suiting up for the Astros in the majors, appears to be on track to escape the IL is undoubtedly a comfort for Houston supporters as the club looks to catch the Mariners in the AL West race. Unfortunately, Alvarez could be even more vital to the club’s offensive. This year, the slugger has hit at his customary high level, slashing.300/.383/.548 with a 158 wRC+, good for sixth in the majors after 371 plate appearances. For an Astros team that has seen less offensive output than projected from key players such as Alex Bregman, Yainer Diaz, and Chas McCormick, the offense both Alvarez and.
