Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has encountered a setback in his recovery from a broken right hand and will be consulting a specialist. This news comes as Alvarez, who had hoped to return soon, continues to experience pain in his injured hand.
Setback in Alvarez’s Recovery
Astros general manager Dana Brown shared that Alvarez felt discomfort upon arriving at the team’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, after a workout the day before.
The pain also resurfaced after Alvarez took batting practice on Saturday at Daikin Park. As a result, the team has decided to shut him down temporarily until further evaluation by a specialist.
“It’s a tough time going through this with Yordan, but I know that he’s still feeling pain and the soreness in his hand,” Brown said before the Astros’ series opener in Colorado. “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.”
Timeline of Alvarez’s Injury
Alvarez has been sidelined for nearly two months due to the injury. Initially diagnosed as a muscle strain, the injury took a more concerning turn when Alvarez felt pain again while hitting in late May. After further imaging, a small fracture in his hand was discovered.
The 28-year-old outfielder, who has hit 31 or more home runs in each of the past four seasons, was aiming for a return as soon as this weekend at the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the latest setback has left his timeline uncertain.
“We felt like he was close because he had felt so good of late,” Brown said. “But this is certainly news that we didn’t want.”
Astros Roster Moves
In addition to Alvarez’s situation, the Astros made another roster move on Tuesday, placing shortstop Jeremy Peña on the 10-day injured list due to a fractured rib. To fill Peña’s spot, the team recalled infielder Shay Whitcomb from Triple-A Sugar Land.
