Astros player Yordan Alvarez suffers knee sprain and misses Mariners series

HOUSTON – Yordan Alvarez sprained his right knee and will miss the remainder of the Houston Astros’ crucial three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, manager Joe Espada announced Monday.

Alvarez underwent an MRI scan Monday afternoon before Houston’s 6-1 loss to Seattle. An X-ray Sunday afternoon revealed “inflammation,” Espada said, and the team sent him for further tests as part of its medical plan.

Espada seemed optimistic that Alvarez could return at some point during the Astros’ final regular-season series against the Cleveland Guardians, but did not directly confirm that. Houston has an off day on Thursday before beginning its series in Cleveland on Friday.

Yordan Alvarez is shaken and is being attended to by a trainer after sliding into second base and turning a single into a double.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) 22 September 2024

“We have to give this one some time and see how he feels over the next few days,” Espada said. “If there’s a chance for him to come back in the regular season, that’s good news. I was hoping it would have been just one game, but that’s not the case.”

Alvarez was unavailable to reporters Sunday and Monday. His absence will weaken an already top-heavy lineup that struggled against Seattle’s strong pitching staff on Monday. Houston managed three singles and a solo home run by Jason Heyward in its five-run loss that kept its magic number at two and clinched the American League West title.

Assuming the Astros secure their fourth consecutive division title — and can’t somehow miraculously earn a first-round bye — it’s not unusual to worry about whether Alvarez will be at his best in a wild-card series. Game 1 is scheduled for Oct. 1, two days after the Astros’ regular season ends and nine days after Alvarez suffered the sprain.

Alvarez injured his knee while sliding into second base in Sunday’s 9-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees during the 2020 season but had no known problems with them prior to this sprain.

In all likelihood, Houston will not be able to use Alvarez in left field in October because of the injury, which could complicate Espada’s lineup. If Alvarez is pigeonholed as a designated hitter, it will mean that either Heyward or Mauricio Dubón will have to take on more duties in left field while eliminating a potential spot for backup catcher Victor Caratini, who has a wRC+ of 113 this season.

If Houston goes with a left-handed starter, Espada could use switch-hitter Caratini at first base in place of left-handed Jon Singleton. Caratini started at first base on Monday with Singleton serving as the designated hitter, perhaps a sign that the Astros view Caratini as a better defender than Singleton.

Alvarez is the Astros’ best hitter with a .308 batting average, .959 OPS and 35 home runs – two shy of his career high. The 147 games he has played are also a career high and part of the healthiest season of his major league career.

Then an injury occurred at the most inopportune time.

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(Photo of Yordan Alvarez, right, receiving treatment after his knee injury on Sunday: Tim Warner / Getty Images)