Alvarez Misses Astros Series Start Against Rays
Uh oh.
The Houston Astros sent Yordan Alvarez back home for further testing on his sore neck.
Alvarez didn’t play in the Astros’ opening series against the red hot Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. The Astros fell 8-3 without Alvarez.
Manager Dusty Baker said Alvarez has been dealing with neck discomfort “for about a week” and hopes he’ll be able to avoid the injured list.
“Hopefully, it’s not too bad, so we’ll see,” Baker said.
While the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, it’s still concerning since Alvarez has been the Astros’ best player in the clutch this season. Without Jose Altuve in the lineup, Alvarez has been even more important.
It’s unclear when Alvarez will return.
The Astros need him, too.
Over the weekend, Alvarez was the biggest reason the Astros swept the Braves in Atlanta. He hit go-ahead home runs in the first two games and added a key two-run single in the finale.
Alvarez entered Monday slashing .253/.367/.533 and he ranked second in Major League Baseball with 27 RBI.
Kyle Tucker hit third on Monday instead of Alvarez.
The good news is that it’s still early in the season. It’s best to get Alvarez healthy now instead of struggling later.
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