Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (ankle) won't be in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Texas Rangers. Alvarez suffered a fairly significant ankle sprain during Monday's game. On Tuesday, Astros manager Joe Espada said Alvarez will be out for a while, but he didn't give a good timetable. For now, the Astros are just going to take it day by day. At the moment, the Astros don't plan on placing Alvarez on the injured list. However, a backdated stint on the IL is always a possibility if Alvarez doesn't progress over the next few days. It doesn't sound like Alvarez is going to play much down the stretch of the season. Fantasy managers are unlikely to get much or anything at all out of Alvarez over the next two weeks. Yainer Diaz will serve as the designated hitter during Tuesday's game.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Monday that outfielder Yordan Alvarez (ankle) will get an MRI on his left ankle on Tuesday. Alvarez sprained his ankle in the first inning of Monday's 6-3 win over the Rangers while running across home plate. This is poor timing for the Astros and fantasy managers, as both are in the middle of a potential playoff run. The 28-year-old has already missed 100 games from the beginning of May through the end of August with a hand injury, and he was batting a strong .369 since returning to the team. Fantasy managers should wait for more news, but they would be left with very little time if Alvarez were to be sidelined. Overall, he is slashing .273/.367/.430 with six home runs and 27 RBI in 199 plate appearances.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (ankle) left Monday's contest after spraining his ankle in the bottom of the first inning, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He was running home on the play and seemed to slip as he crossed the plate. He looked to be in significant pain trying to walk off the field, so this is the best-case scenario if it turns out to be only a sprain. The Astros have a recent history of downplaying potential injuries, so he's not out of the clear just yet. The 28-year-old made his long-awaited return on August 28 after missing almost four months of the season, so it would be a shame if the slugger needed yet another trip to the injured list. In 48 games this season, he is slashing .273/.367/.430 with six home runs.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) was activated from the 60-day injured list and is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander Tanner Gordon at Daikin Park, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Alvarez is starting in left field and will bat cleanup for the Astros in his first game back in the big leagues since May 2. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger was looking good at the plate on the farm during his minor-league rehab assignment, but it remains to be seen if Alvarez can turn things around in the big leagues to close out the year after struggling early on before landing on the IL. The three-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger winner was hitting just .210 (21-for-100) with three homers and 18 RBI before his hand injury, but he could be a difference-maker in fantasy down the stretch if he's right.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) has a strong possibility of returning for Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is currently on track to play his fourth and likely his final rehab game with Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday. Barring any setbacks, Alvarez should be ready for the beginning of their series against the Rockies. Alvarez has been sidelined since early May due to a fractured right hand. Fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday, but they should be able to get Alvarez back in their lineups early in the week

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, two runs scored and a strikeout in his latest minor-league rehab game on Thursday with Double-A Corpus Christi. Alvarez has now gone 5-for-8 with three doubles, a stolen base and a walk in his first two rehab games on the farm and could rejoin the major-league squad this weekend for a series in Baltimore against the Orioles. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has been out since May with a hand injury. It's been frustrating for fantasy managers that have been holding Alvarez all year, but he could help make a difference down the stretch if he continues to swing the bat like he is right now. The three-time Cuban slugger was hitting just .210 (21-for-100) with three homers at the time of his injury, but that could have been the result of him playing through his hand injury.

Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) has a chance to return from the 60-day injured list later this week, according to general manager Dana Brown. Alvarez, out since May 2 with a fractured right hand, will begin a rehab assignment at the Double-A level on Tuesday. He'll get Wednesday off and then try to play in back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday. If the three-time All-Star isn't back in the majors by this weekend, he should be in the Astros' lineup for the start of a series against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 26. Alvarez hit just .210/.306/.340 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 121 plate appearances before he suffered his injury, but he was an elite hitter from 2021-24. Based on his track record, the 28-year-old slugger should provide a boost to the Astros and fantasy managers during the last several weeks of the season.

Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, manager Joe Espada told reporters. Alvarez has made a slow recovery from a fractured right hand that has shelved him since May 2. There's finally light at the end of the tunnel for the star slugger, though, with the Astros expecting him back later this month if he doesn't suffer any setbacks. Alvarez batted an uncharacteristically poor .210/.306/.340 line with four home runs and 18 RBI in 121 plate appearances before he went on the injured list. Nevertheless, considering the four-time 30-HR hitter's stellar track record, the Astros and fantasy managers will be thrilled to get him back for the last few weeks of the regular season.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) was able to take eight live at-bats in West Palm Beach on Saturday. Now, Alvarez will return to Houston on Sunday to determine the next steps in his rehab process. Alvarez has been sidelined since early May due to a fractured hand. That being said, Alvarez is likely going to need a lengthy rehab assignment before rejoining the Astros lineup. Barring any setbacks, Alvarez should hopefully be able to return to Houston by September. Fantasy managers might still be able to get something out of Alvarez this season. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is scheduled to take live batting practice this weekend, according to Brian McTaggart. This is big news as it'll be the first time that Alvarez has faced live pitching since suffering a setback with his fractured hand over a month ago. If everything goes well, Alvarez should be cleared to go on a minor league rehab assignment after this session. He has been sidelined since early May, so he figures to need a handful of games before he's ready to rejoin the Astros lineup. The hope is that Alvarez is ready to rejoin Houston by the end of August. Fantasy managers should continue to hold Alvarez on their IR with his return on the horizon.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) could face live pitching this weekend in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is slowly recovering from a fractured right hand that has kept him out since early May. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter has been taking on-field batting practice and could take the next step this weekend. Alvarez will most likely need a minor-league rehab assignment after that, but if he can avoid another setback with his hand, he could return to Houston's lineup as the everyday DH in mid-August. The three-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger winner could be a difference-maker for the 'Stros when he's back, but he's running out of time to make a difference in fantasy lineups. He was hitting an uncharacteristic .210 (21-for-100) with three homers and 18 RBI at the time of his hand injury.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) was able to take live batting practice at the team's spring training complex in Florida over the weekend. This is a positive step forward as Alvarez was limited to hitting in the batting cage before this. The expectation is that Alvarez will likely need a few more batting practice sessions before he heads out on a minor league rehab assignment. This is a step in the right direction, but there is still more work to do. There currently isn't a timetable for Alvarez to return to the Astros lineup. He has been out since early May due to a fractured hand. At this point, Alvarez probably won't be able to contribute in Houston until September.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is still in the coach's batting practice stage of his hitting progression, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez hit in the cages on Friday and is scheduled to hit on the field in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has not played in a major-league game this year since May 2 due to a lingering hand injury, but if he's able to keep making progress, the Astros expect that he'll return to the roster in the middle of August. Alvarez's hand injury was likely a big reason he was hitting only .210 (21-for-100) with three home runs, 18 RBI and seven runs in the early portion of the season. The three-time All-Star has the ability to carry a fantasy offense when he's right, but the big question is whether Alvarez will be right again in 2025.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) took batting practice on the field on Tuesday and continues to increase his workload as he works towards a possible return. Alvarez has been sidelined since May 2 and continues his long recovery from a fractured bone in his right hand. He had a setback in July, so the Astros are bringing him along especially slowly to be sure the injury doesn't recur. He only hit .210 with three homers and a .276 wOBA in his 29 games before the injury, but he has 30+ homers in four straight seasons with a .402 wOBA over those last four years. He still doesn't have a concrete timeline for a return, but he'll give Houston's lineup a huge boost when he's available.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is targeting a return to the lineup when first eligible on Aug. 15. Limited to just 29 games this season due to a right-hand fracture suffered in May, Alvarez has been a major missing piece in Houston's lineup. With Isaac Paredes potentially out for the year, Alvarez's return would provide a much-needed middle-of-the-order boost. His presence would also offer protection for slumping bats like Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker. If healthy, Alvarez could be a difference-maker for the Astros' playoff push and a major fantasy asset in the season's final weeks.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is "ramping up his workload," according to general manager Dana Brown, and once he gets through that, the Astros plan to have him face live pitching. Brown wants Alvarez to go on a short minor-league rehab stint, too, before rejoining the big-league team. "I'll take a 75% Yordan Alvarez over some of the guys we have now," Brown added. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger was cleared to start hitting slow toss last week and has now gotten to the point where's he ready to see live pitching. It means that barring a setback, he could be back with the Astros by next week. Expect the Astros to ease him back in, and it's possible Alvarez serves as the primary DH the rest of the year. The three-time All-Star didn't look like himself in just 100 at-bats earlier this year, but he could be a difference-maker if he bounces back to form for the final two months.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) took "more than 50 swings off a tee and soft toss" on Friday, according to MLB.com. Alvarez has been on the injured list with a right hand fracture since early May. It's been a shockingly long recovery for the 28-year-old, who was initially expected to miss relatively minimal time. In 121 plate appearances before the injury, Alvarez struggled to a .210/.306/.340 slash line with three home runs and 18 RBI. His .646 OPS this season is significantly worse than his career OPS of .960. Houston needs Alvarez to return to peak form down the stretch and into the postseason, so they'll surely continue to be cautious with his recovery. His next step will likely be to progress to facing live pitching, followed by a rehab assignment.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) began hitting some slow toss on Monday, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. His hand is feeling good, but is continuing to progress slowly with caution. The slugger has made it to this point in his rehab multiple times already, but was shut down each time with soreness in his injured hand. Hopefully this time it is truly healed, as the 28-year-old has been out since May 2 with a hand injury that was eventually discovered to be a fracture. He'll be eager to return to the field and turn his season around, as he was batting just .210 with three home runs through 29 games before the injury.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) resumed swinging a bat on Thursday and is with the team in Seattle for their series against the division rival Mariners this weekend, according to the team. Alvarez has not played in a game since May 5 due to a fractured hand. However, the 28-year-old could finally be turning a corner, with general manager Dana Brown saying on Sunday that the team could "try to expedite Alvarez's return." We're not sure what to expect with the left-handed hitting outfielder/DH after he's missed so much time this year. When he does return, though, the Astros could ease him into the fold, and he could strictly serve as the DH the rest of the season. The three-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger winner struggled to a .210 average with only three home runs and 18 RBI in his first 100 at-bats before landing on the IL.

Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) is set for re-evaluation Thursday as team doctors consider clearing him to start swinging a bat. Alvarez was placed on the injured list on May 6 with a right hand fracture. His return timeline remains undefined. The 28-year-old slugger was struggling before the injury in 29 games, slashing .210/.306/.340 with three home runs and a .646 OPS. Alvarez reports no pain in his hand and would be a welcome offensive boost for the banged-up Astros as they aim for a postseason run.