Yordan Alvarez injury update: Astros slugger to see specialist after setback in broken right hand

2 days ago

The Houston Astros are off to another dominant start this season. Entering play Wednesday, the team sits at 51-34 and holds a seven-game lead in the American League West.
And if that wasn't impressive enough, they've been able to get there despite a lengthy absence from their best hitter. Yordan Alvarez has been sidelined since early May due to a hand injury, and it doesn't sound like he's going to be back soon.
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Alvarez experienced a setback in his broken right hand Tuesday, and will see a specialist to try and solve the issue. After sitting for nearly two months, Alvarez started participating in workouts in June. He took swings at the team's complex Monday, but reported pain the following day.
Astros general manager Dana Brown said the team wouldn't rush Alvarez back following the setback, per ESPN.
"We're not going to try to push it or force him through anything. We're just going to allow him to heal and get a little bit more answers as to what steps we take next."
It's a disappointing development for Alvarez, who seemed to be nearing his return. On Sunday, Brown expressed some optimism that Alvarez could return in time for the team's upcoming series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 4. The setback makes it extremely unlikely Alvarez will take part in that series.
It also marks yet another troubling trend for the Astros' medical staff, which originally misdiagnosed Alvarez's injury as a muscle strain. The team experienced the same mistake last season, when star outfielder Kyle Tucker missed significant time after the team initially misdiagnosed his shin injury.
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When healthy, Alvarez is one of the best hitters in the majors. The 28-year-old holds a career slash line of .295/.387/.573 over seven years in the majors. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 2019, is a three-time All-Star and has finished in the top-10 in MVP voting twice. He's also excelled when the Astros needed him most, and has a .294/.393/.551 slash line in 60 playoff games with the franchise.
The Astros found a way to thrive despite Alvarez's injury. The team posted a .536 winning percentage in May after Alvarez went down, and followed that up by going 19-7 in June, propelling the Astros to the top of the AL West standings.
Alvarez will undoubtedly provide a huge boost to the team once he's ready to return. That should be a scary thought to every other AL team, which has failed to keep the Astros down despite the loss of their best hitter.