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66 articles
HOU • Outfielder • #44
8 days ago
Alvarez finally got the Astros on the board in the fifth inning of this one, smacking an RBI single that pulled them to within five runs at 6-1. He has looked good at the plate this spring, hitting .296 (8-for27) with a homer, five RBI and a 7/1 K/BB ratio. Most importantly, he appears to be fully healthy heading into the 2026 season.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
13 days ago
The 28-year-old slugger opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single off of Mets’ right-hander Freddy Peralta. He then obliterated a Saul Garcia slider for a three-run blast in the sixth that extended that lead to 4-0. The 28-year-old slugger is now hitting .316 (6-for-19) on the spring while Saturday’s home run and RBIs were his first in Grapefruit League play. As long as he can avoid the injured list, he’s going to deliver substantial profit to those that call his name in fantasy drafts.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
15 days ago
The 28-year-old slugger smacked a two-out double off of Jake Irvin in the opening inning and then scored the game’s first run on an RBI double off the bat of Yainer Diaz. He then added a pair of singles before calling it a day. Through six games on the spring, Alvarez is hitting .250 (4-for-16) but has yet to drive in a run.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
25 days ago
It was the first action of the spring for Alvarez. It’d be better if it went well than it going like this, but the results aren’t important. Alvarez dealt with injuries for the overwhelming majority of 2025, but when healthy, there are very few sluggers better in the sport.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
27 days ago
The 28-year-old slugger has been brought along cautiously this spring but is fully healthy and ready for live game action. While he’s expected to see the bulk of his action as the designated hitter in 2026, Espada noted over the weekend that Alvarez will also see some starts in left field. If he can avoid the injured list, Alvarez will wind up delivering a substantial profit for fantasy managers from his current average draft position.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Outfielder • #44
28 days ago
After an injury-plagued 2025 season, Alvarez is slated to start the majority of games at designated hitter, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see him in the outfield. “Yordan likes to play left field, and that balance is important to keep,” Espada said on MLB Network. “He likes to go out to left field and put some at-bats behind him and go focus on something else defensively, and we’re going to do that. And also, by doing that, it allows us to DH some other veteran players that we will need to get off their feet.” How many games Alvarez plays in the outfield is anybody’s guess, but his having outfield eligibility in fantasy leagues would be big, as would getting extra at-bats for Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker at DH.
Source: MLB Network
HOU • Outfielder • #44
30 days ago
He’ll likely be managed with a lot of DH time this season, but it’s a good sign to see Alvarez ready to go before we get too deep into spring training. Our last update on him was that he was completely pain free, so fantasy managers shouldn’t have any reservations about drafting him early based on what we currently know. He’s still coming at a slight discount after last year’s 48-game injury-plagued debacle of a season.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Outfielder • #44
about 1 month ago
The 28-year-old slugger suffered an ankle injury in the middle of September that ultimately ended his season. Alvarez also missed significant time during the season due to a broken hand. As long as he’s able to avoid the injured list, he should once again put up massive offensive numbers for fantasy purposes. Astros’ skipper Joe Espada has already noted that the plan is for Alvarez to spend most of his time at DH in an effort to keep him healthy for the duration of the 2026 campaign.
Source: Matt Kawahara
NYM • Outfielder • #44
3 months ago
Rodriguez is just 17 years old and has pitched 15 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League, so this is the epitome of a flyer for the Mets. Considering the Mets also sent money to the Athletics, this move was all about moving on from McNeil and clearing space on the roster. It will take another 2-3 years before we have any idea what type of pitcher Rodriguez will become.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
4 months ago
Espada’s comments came shortly after Astros general manager Dana Brown reaffirmed that Alvarez will be ready for Opening Day as he continues to recover from a significant high ankle sprain that he suffered in late September. Houston’s skipper added that the decision to limit Alvarez from playing the field is strictly for health purposes. The Astros would like to keep the 28-year-old middle-of-the-order force in their lineup as often as possible after a hand fracture limited him to just 48 games this past season. It’s a positive development for fantasy purposes as eliminating the wear and tear of playing left field should help prevent knee issues that have bothered him in recent years.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
4 months ago
Brown said last month that Alvarez was expected to be ready for the start of spring training after suffering a serious-looking ankle injury during late September. The 28-year-old slugger was diagnosed with a significant high ankle sprain that didn’t end up requiring surgery. The latest update should extinguish any concerns for fantasy managers heading into drafts next spring.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Outfielder • #44
5 months ago
Alvarez is expected to be ready to go for the start of spring training after suffering an ankle injury in the middle of September that cost him the rest of the season. The 28-year-old also missed significant time with a broken hand, but when healthy, there aren’t many better offensive players in the sport.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
If the Astros miraculously find a way to make the playoffs, it’s possible that we could see the 28-year-old slugger at some point in October, but that looks like an extreme longshot at this point. Alvarez has been shelved since September 16 due to a severe ankle sprain.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
If the Astros miraculously find a way to make the playoffs, it’s possible that we could see the 28-year-old slugger at some point in October, but that looks like an extreme longshot at this point. Alvarez has been shelved since September 16 due to a severe ankle sprain.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
It’s starting to feel like a real long shot that Alvarez is ready to roll when the playoffs get underway next week, assuming the Astros manage to qualify. The 28-year-old slugger is going to need some extended time to ramp-up as he recovers from a serious left ankle sprain which makes it unlikely he’s cleared to return anytime soon.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
Alvarez told reporters Sunday that he’s progressing well but still needs to wait for the inflammation in his left ankle to subside before he’s cleared to return. It seems highly unlikely he’ll return before the regular season concludes. There’s an outside chance he’s ready for the outset of the postseason, should the Astros manage to win the AL West or hang onto a Wild Card playoff berth.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
The move doesn’t come as a surprise since Astros manager Joe Espada noted earlier in the week that Alvarez was dealing with a “significant” left ankle sprain. It remains unclear just how long the Astros expect him to be shelved for and whether he’ll be available for the postseason. Isaac Paredes was activated from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move on Friday.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
Espada added that Alvarez is going to be “out for a while” after suffering a serious ankle injury during Monday’s game against the Rangers when he stepped awkwardly on home plate. The 28-year-old middle-of-the-order force was on an absolute tear since returning from the injured list back on August 26, batting .369 (24-for-65) with three homers and nine RBI over 19 contests during that span. His absence for the final two weeks of the regular season is a significant loss for the Astros and fantasy managers as well. It’s unclear at this juncture whether he has any real shot of returning for the postseason, should Houston wind up qualifying.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
Alvarez will undergo additional imaging to determine the severity of the injury following his removal from Monday’s contest after stepping awkwardly on home plate in the opening frame. He left the clubhouse in a walking boot and on crutches. An update should come before Tuesday’s contest, but fantasy managers should brace for the possibility of an extended absence. It’s a potentially devastating loss for the Astros as they attempt to hang onto the final AL Wild Card playoff spot over the final two weeks of the season.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
6 months ago
Not good. It’s a potential devastating development as Alvarez was barely able to put any weight on his left leg after stepping awkwardly on home plate after blowing through a stop sign at third base during the opening frame of Monday’s contest. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters afterwards that Alvarez, who left the clubhouse in a walking boot and on crutches, will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. An update should come before Tuesday’s contest, but fantasy managers should brace for the possibility of an extended absence.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez clobbered a solo shot off Jacob deGrom to give the Astros a 2-0 lead. He drove in his second run of the game and 27th of the season with a single in the eighth. Obviously Alvarez’s numbers have been down entirely because of his injury, but he’s now slashing a very solid .277/.375/.453 in his 40 games and 137 at-bats.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez has seven hits the last two days. He was off to a really rough start before landing on the IL with his finger injury in early May, but he’s 13-for-27 with two homers, eight walks and just two strikeouts in nine games since returning.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
It appears to be a routine off day for Alvarez, who has started six of the last seven games since returning from the injured list last week. He’ll take a seat with tough lefty Max Fried taking the ball for New York on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old slugger is batting .333 (6-for-18) with one homer, four RBI and eight walks in seven games during that span. Jose Altuve is making his first start in left field since July 28.
Source: MLB.com
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez had the day off against the Rockies on Thursday, but was back in the lineup batting second on Friday. The 28-year-old outfielder missed months of the season with a hand injury, but managed to hit his first home run since returning on Wednesday. On Friday, he walked and scored a run and drove in another with a sacrifice fly in a game the Astros won 2-0. Alvarez is hitting .206 with a .681 OPS this year, but could change those numbers with a strong month of September.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez will get his first day off after being reinstated from the injured list Tuesday. The 28-year-old will get a breather with Maurcio Dubon in left field, Jose Altuve the designated hitter and Ramon Urias handling second base.
Source: MLB.com
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Welcome back, Yordan. Alvarez took Angel Chivilli deep with a runner on in the eighth inning, and it’s the first homer for the slugger since April 27. Obviously, that’s entirely due to missing over three months, but it’s still nice to see; even if it’s a bit of reminder of what could have been if he stayed healthy all year. It’s more than reasonable to expect many more roundtrippers from Alvarez between now and the end of September.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez returns to left field and the cleanup spot Tuesday against the Rockies in his first game since May 2. The 28-year-old middle-of-the-order catalyst missed nearly four months with a small fracture in his right hand and will have to prove he can shake off the usual concerns tied to hand injuries. Still, he should give Houston’s scuffling lineup an immediate lift and has the upside to be a true difference-maker for fantasy managers down the home stretch.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez is scheduled to get one additional rehab contest under his belt on Sunday with Double-A Corpus Christi, which puts him in line to be activated early next week. He’s been out since early May recovering from a fracture in his right hand. The 28-year-old fantasy stalwart’s impending return will provide an immediate injection of life for Houston’s struggling offense and he’s capable of being a massive difference-maker for fantasy managers over the final five weeks.
Source: Matt Kawahara
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez appears ready to return to Houston’s lineup after scalding three hits, including a pair of doubles, in his second minor league rehab contest at the Double-A level. Astros general manager Dana Brown said last weekend that the 28-year-old slugger could potentially return this upcoming weekend against Orioles in Baltimore. That seems highly likely after another impressive performance at the dish in the minors. He’s been on the shelf since early May recovering from a fracture in his right hand. He’ll provide an immediate injection of life to Houston’s offense, which has been scuffling of late and recently went 31 consecutive innings without scoring a run earlier this week during three straight losses.
HOU • Outfielder • #44
7 months ago
Alvarez appears ready to return to Houston’s lineup after scalding three hits, including a pair of doubles, in his second minor league rehab contest at the Double-A level. Astros general manager Dana Brown said last weekend that the 28-year-old slugger could potentially return this upcoming weekend against Orioles in Baltimore. That seems highly likely after another impressive performance at the dish in the minors. He’s been on the shelf since early May recovering from a fracture in his right hand. He’ll provide an immediate injection of life to Houston’s offense, which has been scuffling of late and recently went 31 consecutive innings without scoring a run earlier this week during three straight losses.