Yordan Alvarez is gearing up for his return exactly when the Houston Astros need him most.
Alvarez has played just 29 games for the Astros this season, last suiting up for a May 2 contest against the Chicago White Sox. What the Astros originally diagnosed as “inflammation” in his right hand turned into a serious hand injury that has sidelined him for over 100 games.
The three-time All-Star’s stint on the sidelines appears to be coming to an end. On Tuesday, Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a double during a rehab assignment with the Astros’ Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks. He spoke candidly about regaining his confidence after a long road to recovery.
“It feels really good,” Alvarez said to reporters after Tuesday’s game, via an interpreter. “It’s been one heck of a year, especially dealing with this injury. But I’m very thankful to god that I’m getting to the point where I’m at, especially getting to hit the ball and go up to bat.
“It felt really good, even whenever I was getting those foul [balls], it helped me find my form and my rhythm back, get back to the point where I need to be. It’s going in my favor.”
The Astros’ offense is in desperate need of an Alvarez-sized shot in the arm. The team has been shut out for 28 consecutive innings, capped off by Tuesday’s 1-0 loss against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Alvarez won’t magically solve all of Houston’s offensive woes, but he’d definitely help. The hard-hitting lefty has a career OPS of .959, which ranks him among the best hitters in MLB history.
